


The sinners and the saints... and Burr

by savedbythenope



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, M/M, again probably will tag more later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:47:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28078674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/savedbythenope/pseuds/savedbythenope
Summary: What was supposed to be a one-night stand with a stranger he met at a wedding quickly becomes complicated when Alexander Hamilton learns that stranger is no one other than the key witness of the infamous New Jersey v. Paterson case, better known as the Prodigy of Princeton College trial. Too bad the press found out before Alex did.What was already shaping up to be an interesting week for Aaron Burr only gets more chaotic the moment the Treasury Secretary shows up at his office, persuading Aaron to stage a fake relationship with the notorious flirt in order to keep the government's reputation intact. Aaron quickly realizes he may be in over his head.Throw children, secrets, and politics into the mix - it's a recipe for disaster.
Relationships: Aaron Burr/Alexander Hamilton
Comments: 25
Kudos: 53





	1. Republican weddings are dumb and immature (according to Alex)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This plot was loosely based off that one prompt from the Hamilton prompts tumblr. I should also mention that I got the idea of the court case from reading In the Same City by Oceantail (but real talk that fic is beautiful). I have no idea how long this is going to be but I do have several chapters already drafted- so there's that. But without ado, here's Chapter 1

The story commenced one Thursday afternoon with Alex screaming as he stormed up to Senator John Laurens.

“I fucking can’t believe this,” Alex muttered as he flaunts the invitation. John reluctantly held the invitation, examining it for a quick second before handing it back.

He pulled out his own invitation, identical to Alex’s. “I got one too,” John shrugged.

“But that makes sense,” Alex countered, his arms flailing around in wild gestures. “You’re the poster child of Southern hospitality. Plus, having Henry Laurens’ eldest son at your wedding is a strong political move, no matter what party he belongs to.”

“Can we not talk about my father, Alex?” John asked. Alex didn’t need to probe further to comprehend John’s tense relationship with his father. The media always released some opinion piece relating to them every other week.

“All I’m saying is that it makes sense for _you_ to be there,” Alex emphasized. “There is absolutely no reason for me to attend a Republican wedding.”

“But there is a perfectly good reason,” John argued. “By attending Madison’s wedding, it makes it seem like Washington’s Cabinet is united as one. And you have forgiven the Republicans for outing your affair.” John grabbed his sandwich out of his bag and took a bite out of it.

Alex winced as he recalled the mess of the last three years flooding his mind. How he started sleeping with _her_ while his wife, well now ex-wife Eliza and his four children were visiting Eliza’s father up in Albany that summer. How he attempted to end the affair only to be blackmailed by her husband. How Monroe and two of his cronies confronted him, believing he was embezzling government funds. How they fucking promised to keep their mouths shut. How Monroe, that weasel of a man, secretly recorded the conservation and forwarded it to Jefferson. And how the media outlets got wind of it early last year. How he almost destroyed his own reputation. Lost the closest thing he had to a family in a long time.

Sure, he visited his children once or twice a month but it wasn’t the same. It only reminded him of the fragments of family he had as a kid. And how quickly he lost that too, piece by piece. He strived not to be a neglectful, deadbeat father but it was hard enough during his marriage to see the kids back in New York.

“I haven’t forgiven them!” Alex shouted. “If Washington wasn’t the one in the presidency seat, I would have surely lost my place in the Cabinet.”

“But you didn’t,” John pointed out, still munching on his lunch. “Washington would want you to play nice and I think you should too. You need some good publicity.”

“But John,” Alex whined, visibly pouting.

“Alexander, you used to be friends with Madison,” John stated. “Can you see it not as a Republican wedding but a wedding of someone who used to be a close friend?”

Alex huffed in frustration. “I’ll go but I will complain the entire time.”

Three months later, the day of the wedding finally arrived. The wedding was located in D.C., thank god. Alex may have thrown a fit if he had to travel to Virginia, his least favourite place in the world, he already decreed.

The ceremony was so beautiful it nearly made Alex weep, he had to admit. However, the rather eventful reception was less enjoyable in Alex’s eyes. Everyone who is anyone in the world of federal US politics was seemingly here in this ballroom, Democrats and Republicans alike. Heck, Alex chatted with a few Independent congressmen earlier in the night. Alex glued himself to Lauren’s side for most of the event, essentially third-wheeling John and his husband. Now, the happy couple slow-danced while Alex was off to the side with a flute of champagne, watching longingly.

Alex needed to find something to do before he began to miss everything he almost had. Everything he lost due to his careless mistakes. He scanned the area, searching for someone to talk to. On the opposite side of the room, he spotted Thomas Jefferson chatting with Angelica Schuyler-Church. Something about that pair made him squirm. Angelica still viewed him like he was scum she discovered on her heels whenever their paths crossed, which was unfortunately often.

A sudden urge to flee until he was out of her line of sight drove Alex to act.

He drowned his glass and determined he should hide by the bar for the rest of the evening. Or until Laurens came back from the dance floor.

Alex nearly bumped into someone. A handsome someone to boot. This mysterious man was approximately his height and donned a nice light grey suit with a plum tie. He smiled at Alex as he catches him, hands gripping Alex’s shoulders. Dark eyes studied him curiously. His face was familiar, Alex mused before quickly shoving those thoughts down.

“You should be more careful,” the man said, his voice smooth and delicate.

“I probably should,” Alex agreed, refusing to break eye contact. “I shouldn’t be falling for men as handsome as yourself, my good sir. But here we are. I might as well fall into your bed at this point.”

The man laughed, dusting the top of Alex’s blazer before his hands retreated to his pockets. “You’re as big of a flirt as the tabloids say, Alexander Hamilton.”

“You don’t seem appalled by my name,” Alex smirked. Ah, pursuing one-night stands, something he excelled at. He couldn’t disappoint anyone by overworking and neglecting his significant other if he stuck to what he knew best. Not a long-term solution, but it left Alex satisfied for a few fleeting moments.

“I’m not,” the man concurred.

“To give you a memorable experience, can you provide me the name I’ll calling out later tonight?” Alex eyed the man through his eyelashes.

The man held out a hand. “Aaron.”

“Do I get a last name as well?” Alex queried as he shook Aaron’s hand, Aaron firmly grasping his hand. Alex found himself taking a sharp inhale. Maybe he has made a good decision after all, Alex thought, his mind already venturing into the gutter.

“I don’t think that will be needed for the activities we will be partaking in,” Aaron said, letting go of Alex’s hand after an appropriate amount of time. “Do you want to get out of here?”

Yes please.

**…**

The following Monday morning Alex woke up to several texts claiming there was a work emergency. His eyes widened when the meaning of those words finally hit him and deserted his bed without a second thought. As he goes through his routine, skipping steps that now seem excessive (who needs to eat breakfast anyways), his mind wandered to that night. Or rather what happened after he and Aaron departed the reception. How strange it was to believe he was in his bed only a few nights ago, Alex pondered as he glanced at the mirror. The man was kind enough to avoid leaving any hickeys on his neck. Although, the rest of his body was apparently fair game and Alex couldn’t help but trace one on his right collarbone. 

He quickly slipped on the first suit he retrieved, tied a beloved green tie into a messy knot and pulled his shoulder-length hair into a ponytail before setting off. The commute was unexciting, with Alex completing work during most of the trip. He sprinted into the building and into the meeting room as indicated from the messages. Inside the meeting room, George Washington sat at the head of the table. Washington gave Alex a strained and wearily glance before gesticulating to sit down. John gave him a small smile as Alex took a seat beside him. Across from them, the two NY Senators, Angelica and Alex’s buddy Rufus King, a fellow Democrat.

Alex noticed New Jersey Congressman Jonathan Dayton was also at the table, who gave Alex a quick nod. They have known each other ever since they attended the same high school for a brief period and he always gave his support for Alex’s fiscal policies. Small world, wasn’t it? But Alex was admittedly a little surprised to see him in this room. The other people present included Thomas Jefferson who seemed to be sneering in the corner for some reason and James Madison who wasn’t even supposed to be in the country. So Alex might as well assume the worst had happened. Once Alex settled down comfortably in his seat, Washington stood to his impressive full height.

He picked up the few glossy and thick papers and scrolled down to where Alex was seated. He slammed the papers in front of him on the table. “Do you care to explain this, son?” Washington demanded. Alex was about to correct him, telling him, no, for the millionth time, he was not his son but the words die in his throat when he caught a glance of the pages.

Photos.

The first photo set he observed was him clearly making out with a man in a grey suit outside of the wedding venue. With Aaron, he gulped. The next few photos were of them entering into a taxi, hands entwined. Alex remembered how he insisted on grabbing a cab to his place instead of using a car-sharing app like Uber. He rambled on and on until Aaron pinned him against the wall, his lips ghosting Alex’s and well, Alex was suddenly okay with ending his rant. But now, Alex wanted to punch his past self in the face. In hindsight, he should have been careful. Of course, there would be paparazzi outside a well-known politician’s wedding.

“It’s fairly obvious, Mr. President,” Thomas proclaimed. “Hamilton was clearly thinking with his –“

“Alright, alright, thank you, Jefferson,” Washington interjected, waving his hand to signify Jefferson to shut up. “Hamilton, you should consider yourself very lucky that PR was able to get hold of this before places like The New York Post got their grubby little hands on them. At least we can mitigate the damage now.”

“But sir, I don’t see what the problem is here. The media has found… evidence suggesting what… my nighttime activities are before.”

“Hamilton,” Angelica replied sternly, pointing to the other man in one of the photos. “How much do you know about him?”

“Clearly, not many of you know what a one-night stand is,” Alex huffed.

“I think you should be careful of whom you pick up at a wedding where the bride and/or groom is in politics, Hamilton,” Angelica advised, still frowning. 

“Why is that relevant to me _now_?” Alex pondered aloud.

Madison arose, hands flat on the table and gave a cold stare in Alex’s direction, sending a chill down Alex’s spine. “Have you been keeping up with the news, Alexander?”

It was a simple question but Alex couldn’t get the words out to answer. Madison must be trying to stare into his soul, Alex concluded. Why else did he felt so exposed under his watch? That’s the thing with Madison, he’s quiet but terrifying when he wishes to be. But he was always observing, always hunting for someone’s Achilles’ heel.

“Yes,” Alex finally croaked. He could sense everyone’s eyes shifting from him to Madison and back again, anxiously anticipating the next move.

“Do you remember hearing about the New Jersey v. Paterson trial, Alexander?”

Paterson. As in William Paterson. Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court William Paterson. Alex’s friend and close political ally Will Paterson.

The trial itself felt like it occurred a lifetime ago. Alex was in Columbia for his undergrad when the court case transpired. He found it all fascinating for that stint of time – but who wouldn’t? The New Jersey Attorney General at the time being accused of sexual assault by a kid he mentored. As the alleged victim pressed charges, the young man claimed it happened over the three years he was at Will’s alma mater, before Will became a political figure. In a frenzy, the media dubbed it the ‘Princeton Prodigy court case’.

The case typically got mentioned these days in the news whenever Will was running in a political election or when he got nominated or appointed to another prestigious position. Without fail each time, Will’s critics and the extreme left would scream in outrage, declaring a man so vile shouldn’t be in a position of power while everyone else would point out he was acquitted. The first time Alex could remember such an instance was right before he first met Will, six years ago when Will was running for Senate. About a year and a half later, the court trial was got bought up again when Will ran for and was elected as New Jersey Governor. Most recently, the same phenomena happened when Will became a Supreme Court judge last year in March.

Alex didn’t ask Will directly and Will never supplied any information about the case or the alleged victim. But Alex knew him. He wouldn’t have done a thing to hurt a living soul let alone someone he mentored and cared about. Most of the country perceived him as an innocent man and Alex had no reason to believe otherwise.

Aaron couldn’t have anything to do with the Prodigy of Princeton court case. Why would he?

“You’re talking the Paterson and the Prodigy of Princeton College, Madison?” John asked. Alex must have been silent hence why John must have felt the need to say something on his behalf. How long has he’s been thinking about that sensationalized trial?

Madison nodded grimly, careful not to exhibit any emotions that would contrast his stoic expression. “It seems that Hamilton had an intimate encounter with the Prodigy of Princeton himself.”

Was he implying what Alex thinks he was implying? No, that couldn’t be true.

Alex desperately forced himself to recall every detail, but came up almost empty-handed. The key witness was male, probably wealthy, had some explicable family ties to Princeton University, lives in New York or somewhere around there, and preferred staying out of the spotlight. However, the name of the alleged victim was escaping him and Alex reprimanded himself for not paying closer attention. The last time the media shone a light on Paterson’s past, Alex just was glad the media finally moved on to scrutinize someone’s else sexcapades for once and left it at that.

“I might have sullied my good name before but I didn’t sleep with the Prodigy of Princeton College or whoever the complainant is,” Alex claimed, standing up abruptly. “Despite popular belief, I am _not_ a sexual deviant.”

“Do you even know the last name of the man you left with from the reception, my own reception I may add,” Madison implored, still staring at Alex intensely.

“No,” Alex replied, his voice small.

“Maybe this article will jog your memory then,” Madison suggested, sliding a sheet of paper across the table to Alex.

“How am I supposed to know his last name if he – “Alex started, the fire in his tone evident. His own words failed him once again when a smiling younger Aaron greeted Alex as Alex glanced down at the page. The document was dated approximately 15 years ago but that was certainly Aaron. Alex slowly lowered himself back down to his seat. He knew everyone was watching but Alex focused solely on the article in his slightly shaky hands. He desperately tried to comprehend every paragraph and commit it to memory. He doesn’t notice John reading over his shoulder.

“Aaron Burr,” John recited.

Shit.


	2. Well, someone doesn't want to be in the room where it happens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaack. I first would like to thank everyone who gave kudos, commented, and/or bookmarked so far! I was nervous about posting at first but y'all are really great :) I intended on posting weekly for the time being but editing is a pain so who knows lol

After Alex sensed a hand on his shoulder, he peered over to his right. The hand belonged to no one other than the President. Alex swallowed. A part of him was terrified to see Washington’s disappointed reaction. Like a scared little child, he compelled himself to meet the man’s gaze by tilting his head up. Washington’s mouth was in a tight line but Alex could a sigh.

“You must know how bad this looks, Alexander,” Washington said finally.

“The media is going to have a field day,” Rufus mumbled.

Alex risked a peek across the table. Rufus fidgeted with his cuffs, not bothering to spare a glance at Alex. A few seats from him, Dayton resorted to rubbing his temple and gazed in Alex’s general direction but not at him. He was staring as if his whole world was falling apart into a million pieces and he couldn’t do anything.

Jefferson snorted. “Nice going, Hamilton. You couldn’t keep it in your pants long enough, could you?” he scoffed.

“I didn’t know who he was,” Alex demurred.

“You know this doesn’t just make you look like an insensitive and selfish douche who takes advantage of others for his own enjoyment, right?” Angelica condemned. “Lobbyists, activists, and other democratic supporters are going to claim we are ignoring and dismissing his allegations. They’re going to criticize us for throwing him to the masses so they can belittle and mock him. They will accuse us of getting you to seduce the poor guy so we can convince him to keep quiet about what may or may not have happened to avoid bad publicity. At best, people are going to call us a bunch of rape apologists and will hate us because we let hogs like you roam free in the White House.”

Alex rubbed his face with both hands, effectively covering it so nobody would tell how flushed and red he was. “I know, I know, I messed up. But he was well aware of who I was before anything occurred between us,” he said, his voice wearily.

“But Alex,” John replied softly, with a gentle pat on Alex’s arm. Alex permitted himself to glance at his friend from the corner of his eye, his hands still concealing his blush. “He’s just a guy, you’re one of the most powerful men in the country. You can say it’s consensual but not all people are going to believe that, regardless of the truth.” A sad smile graced John’s lips.

“Especially since you cheated on my sister with a poor woman in an abusive relationship and practically a decade younger than you,” Angelica spat. Alex could safely declare that Angelica didn’t forget the incident nor had she forgave him. He couldn’t blame her.

“You really have a thing for helpless victims, don’t you Hamilton?” Jefferson taunted while eating red grapes? “The power-imbalance really gets you going, huh? Or do you just like to think of yourself as a saviour so you feel better about your father leaving you as a child?”

Oh, that’s it. Alex lunged across the table, ready to strangulate Jefferson. Madison quickly placed his arm in front of Jefferson to prevent Thomas from fighting back and making it worse. Meanwhile, John and Washington held Alex back from launching himself at Jefferson. Loudly, Alex fumed but retreated.

“Jefferson, if you are going to aggravate a fellow Cabinet member, I recommend you take a recess and come back when you are ready to have this discussion,” Washington ordered. “Is that understood?”

“Hamilton tried to physically assault me!” Jefferson yelled.

“He will be dealt with later, but right now I cannot have this government trying to kill each other. We need to appear as one well-oiled machine. Normally, I would ask you and Hamilton to both take a walk but Hamilton is needed here,” Washington explained. “He caused the problem and he is involved in the proposed solution.”

Proposed solution?

Some instinct of self-preservation screamed in Alex’s gut. He wasn’t going to enjoy the proposed solution but he had no choice but to go along with it. Jefferson pranced out of the meeting room with his damn grapes, muttering how Alex was the worst thing that had happened to America, no doubt. Once the double wooden doors slammed shut, Alex braced for the next person to yell at him. But the room stayed deafening silent, all eyes on Alex. Was he supposed to apologize for almost starting a fight with Jefferson ‘cause no chance in hell was that gonna occur. Alex didn’t care what anyone else asserted, Jefferson started it and he tried to end it.

After determining the quiet was too much for Alex to handle, he spoke, articulating vigilantly. “What do you mean by proposed solution, Mr. President?”

“Several of us discussed this before you even arrived, Hamilton,” Madison explained, retaining his stiff standing posture. “We think you need to make the media outlets believe you’re in a relationship with Aaron. We need to get the public on your side and this relationship might redeem you.”

What? “You can’t be serious, Madison!” Alex exclaimed, eyes wide. “There has to be another way to make this go away!”

“Maybe you should have been more discreet on Saturday, Alexander,” Washington lectured.

“But it’s not my fault! I didn’t realize who he was! I didn’t coerce him into anything he didn’t want to do,” Alex yelled back. He didn’t intend for this to happen but it doesn’t mean he had to play house with a stranger.

“Answer me this question, Alexander Hamilton,” Dayton piped up. If Alex was being honest, Dayton appeared more subdued than typical. And even now, his gaze fixated on the table as he continued to talk. “If you did know, would have you still done it?”

Alex was taken aback for a moment. He should have said _no, of course not_ , or something among those lines. But he wasn’t planning to stop being characteristically and brutally honest _now._ The problem was, he didn’t know the true answer, only the answer Dayton wanted to hear. If he knew who he was, he would have still flirted with Aaron, regardless. Alex wasn’t going to _not_ flirt with someone just because of some sexual assault court case. Frankly, it would be more offensive to make someone assume he wasn’t flirting with them implying he viewed the other person as damaged goods. And he wasn’t gonna let that fly.

If Aaron propositioned or just outright asked him, Alex didn’t doubt for a second he still would have bought the man home. The events of the evening would have played out differently instead. They would have left the wedding in separate cabs at different times to avoid raising suspicion. And Alex would have made the man signed a non-disclosure agreement he had lying in his apartment. So maybe Alex was being paranoid but he knew better than to leaving it to chance. He wasn’t risking another sex scandal connected to his name. If Aaron didn’t agree to Alex’s precautions, nothing would have happened. But if he accepted all of the terms and conditions…

Well, Alex couldn’t say no to that.

“I would have been more discreet about it,” Alex replied after serious consideration. He couldn’t afford to look like the bad guy.

His only crime was a one-time amorous affair.

“That’s not the question I asked you. Let me rephrase my sentence,” Dayton stressed. “If you knew then what you just learned now, would there still be a reasonable possibility that you would have slept with him? Despite your reputation and the rest of this freaking government on the line. _Despite Aaron’s own reputation being at stake here too_.”

Did Dayton actually assume Alex would amend his answer just because Dayton mentioned Aaron? Alex was sure Aaron was capable of upholding his own reputation and making good choices. It wasn’t Alex’s fault if the man destroyed himself and used Alex as the knife to do so. He couldn’t be held responsible if Aaron got ripped to shreds by the reporters.

But something about Dayton’s expression prevented Alex’s tongue from spilling everything on his mind. His clenched jaw, tight-lipped smile, and narrowed eyes, all instigated Alex’s heartbeat to race.

“Yes, there’s, there’s a chance,” Alex nodded, albeit awkwardly.

Dayton laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “I’m not surprised in the slightest. I should have known you would throw anyone under the bus to save your own skin,” Dayton remarked, as he raised from his seat. “Not after what you did last year.”

“Hey, you can’t just leave this meeting,” Alex said, his eyebrows scrunched up. Why was Dayton behaving like… this suddenly?

“I can leave this meeting if I can’t tolerate seeing your face any longer,” Dayton snapped as he gathered the rest of his belongings and stormed out. “You make me physically ill and no one will stop me from leaving. Someone can forward me the notes of the rest of the meeting. Good day, everyone.” And for the second time in the span of minutes, the doors were slammed shut.

“Is Jonathan okay?” John asked the remaining occupants of the room, gesturing to the empty seat. “I feel as if I am missing something here that would explain the outburst.”

“We can discuss that later. Now we need to iron the details of the plan,” Washington instructed.

“I didn’t agree to this outrageous _plan_ ,” Alex argued, adding air quotes around the word plan.

“Well, I am more than open to discuss other ideas,” Madison admitted. “So if you have any other ideas to resolve _your_ _PR issue_ , Hamilton, by any means go ahead.” The frown on his face appeared etched like a marble statue.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how dreadful Alex’s options were. One option was to ignore and refuse to comment on the photos, but that idea would flunk for several reasons. One, it would be unlike him and the public would get suspicious. Two, if he didn’t address the photos, the masses would accept whatever nasty semi-realistic rumour circling around as the truth. And three, people will deem he’s a jerk. The other option wasn’t any better, where he came clean. However, he already learned that being honest doesn’t guarantee that others will think highly of him. He backed himself into a corner, didn’t he?

“Okay, fine. What am I supposed to do in this plan you propose?” Alex implored, a sense of defeat building within his chest.

“We have booked tickets for you, Schuyler, King, and Dayton to fly to New York tomorrow afternoon,” Washington explained, one hand gesturing while the other rested on his elbow, slowly returning to the front of the room. “You four will go to Mr. Burr’s place of work with a bouquet of flowers and you will discuss the proposal of a fake relationship with him. You will not stop until he agrees to the plan and then you will make sure you two are on the same page. I will expect Mr. King to return back to D.C. with a contract with _both_ of your signatures by lunchtime Wednesday.”

“So when are the rest of us flying back?” Alex inquired.

“You have a scheduled interview with live CNN correspondent Peggy Schuyler Friday evening,” Washington continued. “So I would recommend you work remotely in New York for the rest of the week and be back here in the building by 9 AM Monday. I would strongly suggest Schuyler and Dayton to do the same just in case things go awry.”

“Sir, you just saw what happened with Dayton and everyone knows how Angelica feels about me. Are you sure it’s the best idea to have those two assist me?” Alex queried. “Can’t Laurens join me instead? We work a lot better together.”

Alex _hated_ the entire set-up, imagining the amount of time he’d lose when he could have been doing work instead. None of this plan appeared foolproof yet this was his only shot to uphold the image of Washington’s Cabinet and Congress. But, no pressure. And the people he was supposed to view as his lifelines if all else fails were the same people who currently couldn’t stand him.

No offense to Washington but this plan was already doomed.

“We can’t raise suspicion, Alexander,” Washington countered. “There is a reason I’m sending who I’m sending with you. Aside from the obvious reason as to why the New York Senators would be a good choice to aid you, you should probably settle some more… domestic issues while you’re in New York. I think it’s blatant why Ms. Angelica Schuyler is the best choice.”

“Peggy doesn’t hate me! I don’t need Angelica to babysit during my interview,” Alex pouted. “You’re acting like I can’t handle my nicer former sister-in-law.”

“I could pull more strings with Peggy that you never even had access to while you were our brother-in-law,” Angelica fiercely declared. “And you do realize you should mention your fake boyfriend to your real children and your real ex-wife. Unless you want to deal with that beast all on your own, then I’m happy to watch the train wreck you call your life, unfold.” Thank God Jefferson wasn’t here. He would have totally been rooting and hollering for Angelica, or at least high-fived her.

But Alex didn’t realize how this would affect his children until that exact moment. This would have been technically his first relationship after the divorce and it wasn’t even real. Oh God, he would have to lie to his own kids. He was supposed to be a good role model, goddamn it. His kids would have to meet Aaron in order to make this believable. What if Aaron was terrible with children? There were already too many small details to keep track of and align perfectly to pull off this scheme.

“And Dayton?” John asked.

“Well, he has some connections to New York so no doubt will be raised if he just happened to be there. And second, he will be your best ally to convincing Mr. Burr,” Washington elaborated. “I didn’t think Hamilton’s relationship with Dayton would be a problem.”

“Honestly, it was going to be me or Dayton,” Madison added casually. “But it’s less likely for me to be north of Maryland, let alone in the state of New York. And there is the fact I’m supposed to be in Cuba now.” Alex had to admit, he felt a little guilty for delaying Madison’s honeymoon to deal with Alex’s antics. 

“How many people are meant to be aware that the relationship isn’t real?” Alex asked.

“Between the Cabinet and Congress, ideally the only people who were here at the start of the meeting. But I expect Mr. Burr to negotiate to let a few people in on the secret from his life,” Washington answered. “There will be a strict policy of determining who gets to know the truth.”

“Do you think people will actually believe I’m dating _him_?” Alex demanded. Sure, most of the country will fall for it hook, line, and sinker. All it takes is a few convincing photos, some convenient sightings of the happy couple, and a couple of charming white lies.

But for those who knew the man behind the prestigious Cabinet title, they weren’t gullible enough to fall for the guise. They were aware that Alex couldn’t maintain a work-life balance. And the conceivability of him dating someone not residing in the nation’s capital sounded far-fetched even for Alex’s sensitive ears.

“It’s plausible,” John murmured as he studied Alex. “You’re around the same age, have at least one mutual acquaintance.”

“It’s more believable than you think, Hamilton,” Madison agreed. “He’s a lawyer who has dabbled in New York politics before. You’re a former lawyer from New York who has been involved in politics for the last six years. Like it or not, it’s not outlandish to say you guys hit it off at some point.”

Both Madison and John had valid arguments, Alex conceded. Maybe it was the idea that Alex would be losing a piece of himself by signing on the dotted line that made him so against this ruse. He would be forced to lose precious time and money sustaining this scheme, tolerate someone he might not even get along with, and he couldn’t do anything that may imply that Alex was incapable of staying faithful. In addition, Alex had to lie to almost everyone he cared about. And oh yeah, he had to be careful not to defeat the purpose of the ploy with an anger-induced tweet. Alex couldn’t find any upsides. Besides reputations being untarnished.

There was no way out of this, was there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is interested in learning some random history facts to have better context for this story, I got you:  
> \- Madison graduated from Princeton in 1771 while Burr graduated in 1772. At the time, Princeton had a much smaller student population so they obviously knew each other.  
> \- Burr got into Princeton at age 13 (and in the sophomore class too).  
> \- There's speculation on whether Burr was sexually groomed or not by Paterson (and one could see why after reading Paterson's earlier letters to Burr). Regardless, those letters made me uncomfortable.  
> \- A bunch of people wanted John Adams to nominate Paterson as Chief Justice of the US in 1801 but John Adams refused to nominate someone close to Alexander Hamilton.  
> \- Paterson also attended the Constitutional Convention and signed the Constitution along with one (1) A. Ham.  
> \- Historically, Dayton was a NJ congressman and later Senator (also was the Speaker of the House too) and was the youngest person to sign the United States Constitution! He was childhood friends with Burr, was taught by Burr’s future brother-in-law and was actually classmates with Alexander Hamilton (the fact that A. Ham first lived in the same city where Burr was raised in is wild like if Burr didn’t go to University so young they most likely would be in the same academy at the same time and possibly even classmates). According to Wikipedia, Dayton was a Federalist, supported the fiscal policies of Alexander Hamilton, and helped organized the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion. And of course, he was also friends with Lafayette – literally every solider (sans Burr - couldn’t find any evidence to say) was friends with everyone’s favourite fighting Frenchman
> 
> If you want to say hi to me on the tumblr, you can find me @unpredictable123


	3. Aaron has not read this yet (and is in need of a hug)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year y'all!  
> First off, I apologize for updating this several days late but I hope you guys had a good holiday season :)  
> Thanks again to everyone for the kudos, it's nice to know you guys like it so far.
> 
> Now, onto matters relating to actual story: I'm planning on switching POV between Hamilton and Burr, so this chapter (and the next chapter - should be coming out soon... hopefully) is going to be Burr-centric. 
> 
> And as a general note for the Burr chapters - there will be mentions of and allusions to sexual assault/abuse throughout as it is a recurring plot point. Additionally, the chapters also will explore post-assualt treatment of sexual assault victims as well as the effects and aftermath of such an event. 
> 
> For this chapter in particular, there are mentions of sexual assault and content alluding to slut shaming and victim blaming

If Aaron’s week was a person, they unquestionably got out on the wrong side on the bed. He should have discerned something was wrong when the snotty PTA moms side-eyed him while he was dropping off his daughter at school that Monday. Those moms were definitely whispering something unpleasant about his character as he passed them. Ever since he filed the lawsuit, he became accustomed to the restrained gossiping and receiving _that look_. But this time, he failed to notice the extra loathing in their repulsive sneers.

The rest of his routine proceeded without a hitch. Aaron walked to the closest subway stop, hopped on the next train, and found a seat in the least crowded train car. As the train doors closed, Aaron jammed in his headphones and instantly stuck his nose in the book he was reading. It was hard to deny that having a book conceal his face had its advantages. He was sick and tired of the numerous people who believe it was acceptable to ask him personal questions and felt entitled to those answers. However, if he didn’t have his music all the way up, he would have overheard his name being dropped in a stranger’s conversation. And maybe if he wasn’t engrossed in his precious novel, he might have seen the latest scandal the woman beside him was reading.

Two hours later, he was flipping through a case and diligently writing notes in his office when his best friend, Jonathan Bellamy, marched in without a knock. He leaned against Aaron’s desk, arms crossed, and studied him. Aaron didn’t bother to look up. Bellamy was probably going to ask him if he wanted to go on a coffee run with him, Aaron assumed. But Bellamy didn’t utter anything for a solid minute.

“How was your weekend?” Bellamy finally asked.

“Good.”

“You went down to D.C. for a wedding, right? How was it?”

Aaron murmured a confirmation, “It was nice, I got to see some friends from college I haven’t seen in a while. And Dolley never looked so radiant before,” he replied, a faint smile dancing on his face. “I hope Theo wasn’t too much trouble for you.”

“She wasn’t,” Bellamy responded, wrinkles on his forehead appearing along with the pursed lips and scrunched up eyebrows. “Did you have fun there?”

“I would say so, yes. But it’s nice to be home.”

“Do people actually hook up at a wedding or is that purely a rom-com thing?”

Aaron paused to ruminate, “I would say it happens a lot more in movies but there is some basis in reality, I suppose.” He scribbled a few reminders down on a sticky note with a black pen.

“Did _you_ hook up with anyone there?” Bellamy hinted.

“A guy propositioned me, and I didn’t reject him if that’s what you’re interested in knowing.”

“Was his name Alexander?” Bellamy urged. Wait, what?

Aaron jerked his head up and blinked at Jon, speechless. He forced himself to take deep and slow breaths. Alexander was a common enough name, Jon could have gotten lucky. There must be another explanation.

The media didn’t find out, they couldn’t have, could they?

Bellamy pulled out his phone from his back pocket and displayed an article to Aaron. _The Treasury Secretary having an inappropriate affair with infamous Princeton Prodigy?_ , the headline stated in large bolded letters at the top of the screen. Below the title, was a photo of Aaron and Alexander Hamilton entering a cab together in the dark outside the wedding venue. Hands entwined. No.

Aaron grabbed Bellamy’s phone and immediately zoomed in on the photo. If Aaron didn’t know any better, they resembled an affectionate couple. Alexander was gripping the top of the door with his free hand, while he was ogling Aaron shamelessly. They appeared to be laughing and enjoying the other person’s company. Worst of all, Aaron stared at the man as if he hung the stars personally. Did one of them make a joke? Aaron couldn’t recall.

Doesn’t matter anymore. The secret was out in the open for the whole world to witness.

“Uh, Aaron?” Bellamy prompted, breaking Aaron out of his reverie. “Can I have my phone back? Please.”

“Oh, sorry,” Aaron swiftly said as he returned the phone. Bellamy tilted his head, still trying to examine him.

“Are you going to say anything else on the matter?” Bellamy pestered.

What else was there to say? The proof is in the pudding. One of the few times he let himself make an impulsive decision had to blow up in his face.

“James is definitely going to question my taste in men and my sanity,” Aaron murmured. “Since I slept with who he describes as the most annoying man on Capitol Hill.”

“Was Hamilton at least good?” Of course, that’s where Bellamy’s priorities lay.

“Good enough.”

“Was he worth it?”

Not _it_ but _he_. Not referring to getting laid but being with _him_. If only Jon asked the other question then maybe Aaron would have had an answer he was confident in.

“Does it matter now?” Aaron replied, allowing his reserved frustration to seep through.

“Aaron, you’re usually forthcoming with this type of information with me. What’s wrong?” Bellamy pondered. 

Aaron found himself bitterly laughing. “Bells, a portion of the country already thought I lied about my allegations to begin with or believe men can’t be raped. People are going to talk. They’re going to claim that I was asking to be sexually assaulted _then_ and cite the fact I sleep around _now_ as evidence. The public might think I’m a philanderer going through his hoe phase and files lawsuits if he regrets sleeping with someone. Or worse, they think I sleep with politically influential men because I’m power-hungry, have no morals, and I enjoy ruining their careers. Forgive me if I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well, why did you do it then?” Bellamy probed, his voice gentle and kind. “Why did you sleep with him? Forgive me but there must be better options if you sincerely wanted a fling.”

As usual, he was correct. Aaron could have slept with nearly anyone else there and avoid it spiralling into a monumental and disastrous scandal. Instead, he chose one of the most seemingly self-centred statesmen known for his promiscuity outside of wed. Not the pick most people would go for.

But why? That was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it?

“I wanted to know if he was as easy as they purport him to be. And whether he was as excellent in the sack as the rumours say he is,” Aaron bluffed. It was a half-truth at best. The morbid curiosity existed but it wasn’t a major reason why he slept with Alexander.

“Nice try, Burr. I don’t buy it for a second. Try again,” Bellamy needled. Aaron should have known lying to Bellamy was futile. Was still worth a shot.

Aaron sighed. “Fine,” he huffed. “There was this carefree atmosphere at James’ wedding. It was like everyone was drunk on love and happiness. I swear, I wasn’t looking for a hookup when Secretary Hamilton almost ran into me. He flirted with me and he was attractive. He just wanted me, nothing else. No complicated feelings getting in the way. I willingly choose to forgo restraint for one night. And look where it got us.”

He doesn’t say how Alexander was one of the few people he could have easily refuted if he exhibited any shred of his standard self-control. Nor did he bring up how blatant Alexander was with his intentions, how he was basically asking Aaron to go home with him without saying those exact words. Aaron also doesn’t mention how Alexander didn’t look at him with pity or disgust when he was flirting, a rare occurrence for Aaron.

Bellamy chuckled sadly. “You’re the only person who is too embarrassed to admit you hooked up with him because he made you feel that you’re normal and not the guy who everyone knows was sexually assaulted.” When he puts it like that –

“I didn’t think this would…” Aaron trailed off, softly. The tears began to swell up in his eyes. Suddenly, the weight of the world is on his shoulders. A pair of arms wrapped around him. He adjusted himself so he can cry into Bellamy’s shoulder for a few minutes.

Once Aaron knew that everyone knew, he couldn’t prevent himself from being so hyperaware of his surroundings. The rest of the workday was rough. Soon, he became wary of every stare a colleague gave him in the halls. Continuously, he assumed people were spreading rumours about him even when it wasn’t the case. Lunch was spent in the breakroom where everyone gawked at him from afar. A few of his more mean-spirited co-workers resorted to calling him a nasty name or two but nothing he couldn’t handle. Associates would stop by to inquire the truthfulness of the circulating articles. Each time, he would murmur a vague response then claimed he was too busy to chat. After work, Jon offered him a ride home which Aaron was grateful for. He didn’t know what he would do if he had to take public transportation during the evening rush hour.

Thanks to New York City traffic, it took the same amount of time to get home. But there was something grounding about seeing the restless city that he’s grown comfortable with in the last fourteen years. For a long time, he never truly appreciated the hustle and bustle of the place, the ease of being a nameless blob in a sea of faces. His mindset only shifted when his name kept appearing on the news.

Jon eventually pulled up to the high-rising apartment. Aaron thanked him again for the ride and the car disappeared in a blink of an eye. Searching for a sense of normalcy, he glanced up at the building before going inside. As much he wanted to head home, he couldn’t go directly to his suite as he needed to pick up Theo from his neighbours, the Van Nesses. He knocked on their door twice and it swung open.

“Mr. Burr!” William, the middle son, greeted with a smile. “Come in. How was your weekend?” Aaron was afraid it was a trick question. Did the kid already know?

“Thank you, son. It was fine.” He replied as he stepped in. “Is Theo playing Mario Kart with Corny again?” 

“Martin’s here again too but yeah they are. You know the way,” William conceded, as they scrolled over to the family room. As expected, the three children were sitting on the floor, game controllers in their hands, and faces glued to the TV screen. Theo was the first of the trio to notice her father and told Corny to pause the game, slapping his arm with the back of her hand. She placed the controller gently on the floor and bounced over to her father.

“Hi Dad!” the young girl cheerily said.

“Hi sweetheart,” Aaron responded with a soft smile. It bought him delight to see his pride and joy so happy. “How was your day?”

“Super great! We learned about volcanoes in science and after school, Will took us out for ice cream!” Theo recapped. “Are we leaving now or can I play a few more rounds of Mario Kart?”

Aaron didn’t want to wipe the large grin off her face or remove the crinkles around her innocent eyes. God, she’s starting to resemble her mother a lot more as she got older.

“Sure, Theo. I’ll be in the living room.”

“Thanks, Dad! You’re the best.” She zoomed back to her original spot and the three children resumed their game.

“You didn’t have to buy her ice cream, William,” Aaron scorned the teenager, as they retreated to the living room where the scent of dinner was already lurking. Sounds of pots and pans banging and mashing rang in the background.

“Nonsense, Mr. Burr. It was the least I can do. I figured the one thing you would want is your daughter to be happy amidst the chaos,” William countered, making Aaron freeze in his tracks.

“So you heard?” Aaron said as nonchalant as he could muster.

“About you and the Treasury guy? Yeah, the kids from school couldn’t stop talking about it.” Aaron’s face must have fallen as William began to backpedal, reassuring him. “I’m sure your daughter doesn’t know. Their elementary school is huge and most kids wouldn’t even know who the badass Aaron Burr is.”

That wasn’t true. Once, he got a call from Theo’s school only to learn she punched an older kid in the face. When they got home that day, she spent hours in tears, explaining how the kid said her father was an attention-seeking manwhore. At least Theo wasn’t in high school or even middle school yet. God, he was so stupid for not thinking about Theo. How all this could affect her if the media found out. Of course, he should have known reporters and photographers would be crawling outside the banquet hall. He was at the wedding of the State Secretary’s closest political ally and friend, he should have been more careful.

He should have never slept with Alexander Hamilton.

“So, Mr. Burr, is the Treasury dude your boyfriend or something?” William asked.

Aaron could tell him the truth. But he felt discomfort with the idea of discussing sexual relations with someone as young as William. Aaron was only two years older than William is now when Will Paterson first put his ... No. Don’t think about that, he lectured himself. Don’t think about the nights after, trying to scrub off the dirty feeling to no avail. Don’t think about Will Paterson.

“Mr. Burr, are you alright?” William queried, bringing Aaron out of his thoughts. William, what an unfortunate for this harmless boy to have. “It looked like you saw a ghost.”

Oh, Aaron would take seeing a ghost over Paterson any day.

“It’s complicated, son,” Aaron muttered.

“When is it not?” William retorted, crossing his arms petulantly. Aaron found himself laughing at how disgruntled the young teen looked. “It’s not funny!” William yelled back, making Aaron snickered even more.

They agreed to avoid talking about Aaron’s supposed love life. Instead, Aaron listened to William’s rant about how much he hated his teacher, Mr. Tallmadge. Shortly after, Theo ran into the room and sat right beside Aaron while the other two boys were on her heels. Martin settled for plopping on the floor while Corny tried to kick his brother off the couch. The conversation quickly turned into a debate about whether pineapple belonged on pizza (Aaron strongly agreed it should). Later, the Van Ness Matriarch ventured out of the kitchen, insisting the Burrs should stay for a nice homecooked meal. Aaron typically would refuse but after his emotionally exhausting day, a hot dinner was too good to pass up.

He missed having a proper meal with loved ones but he had to shove those bittersweet memories away.

A few hours later, the Burrs finally made it to their apartment. As on most nights, Aaron would ask Theo if she needed any help with her homework and she would proudly decline. They would spend the rest of the evening in quiet, both of them working at the dining table. Aaron wasn’t used to living in an empty house. Even as a child, he lived in his uncle and aunt’s grand house along with his sister Sally, his many, many cousins, and a few of his aunt’s younger siblings. And a few months after finishing law school, he found himself having constant overnight visits at a home of a _certain_ Theodosia Bartow and her five children in New Jersey. Five years later, he purchased a home for him, his now-bride Theodosia, his step-children and their newborn baby. They only moved to their current smaller apartment when Theodosia’s last child from her previous marriage left for university. The household of three shrunk again when his wife passed just over a year ago in late May.

When Theo was fast asleep, Aaron took the time to check his missed messages and calls. He had shut off his phone after Jon left his office because he didn’t want to confront the mess known as his life and his mistakes, not just yet. He grabbed a piece of paper and proceeded to scroll through his phone. Four texts and seven missed calls from Sally, he sent her a quick text saying he would call her tomorrow after work.

Aaron started writing down names. _Robert T. Matty & Aaron O. Uncle??_

Then two concerns stood out. One, Jon Dayton texted him that he’s going to be in NYC and they should catch up. Why on earth would be in New York of all places? Two, he noticed he had a voicemail from someone who wasn’t in his contact list. Aaron checked the Caller ID.

The name was Maria Reynolds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Historical references and other notes:  
> \- apparently Burr introduced Madison to his wife irl  
> \- I tried to make the age gaps between the characters as close as possible to their historical counterparts. And since William P. Van Ness is 22 years younger than Burr historically, he is a moody fourteen-year-old here (sorry I don't make the rules except I do 'cause I'm the writer of this thing)  
> \- William P. Ness had a younger brother named Cornelius who was born a year before Theodosia Jr. Brownie points goes to anyone who know Martin is supposed to be  
> \- Burr was raised in the same household with his older sister, his cousins, and his aunt's younger siblings  
> \- Theodosia Sr. had 5 children from her first marriage and did actually passed away in May  
> \- There's a few other historical references but I don't want to explain them rn lol  
> \- I made a reference to the musical Six because why not  
> \- Fun fact, I originally had a reference to the fanfic A More Perfect Union (great read btw, highly recommended to even those who don't like canon era fanfiction) but took it out last minute 
> 
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated!


	4. The issue on the table, Hamilton's plan for a fake relationship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for reading and the positive responses so far! It took 4 chapters but they're officially in a fake relationship :) And bonus, Aaron isn't suffering in this chapter so that's a plus.

“Freddy, I don’t understand,” Aaron told his elder stepson the next day. “Why would she want to talk to _me_?” Aaron rambled as he paced in front of his desk.

“Did you actually listen to the voicemail, Colonel Daddyo?”

“Well no, but – “

“You should start there,” Frederick dryly commented. “Maybe you would know why she wants to talk to you.”

A part of Aaron was tempted to scold Frederick for talking back but it would be a hopeless endeavour. Frederick would just point out he and Aaron were technically closer in age than Aaron and Theodosia were, making Aaron flustered for the rest of the day.

Frederick had a special ability for rendering Aaron uncomfortable about his loving marriage.

“I should have asked your brother for his advice,” Aaron concluded with a sigh.

“He would have said the same thing.” Frederick rejoined.

“He’s not a sarcastic potato like you.” Aaron countered. Frederick gave a half-shrug as they both heard a knock on the door. Aaron immediately halted.

“Colonel?” a male voice called out. Only two men referred to Aaron by that moniker and one sat in his office, absentmindedly rummaging through a drawer, likely searching for Aaron’s secret stash of chips.

“Johnny? You can come in.” Aaron said.

“No, I have people who want talk to you. Like they’re literally behind me,” John replied.

Strange, Aaron didn’t have any scheduled meetings with his clients. It couldn’t be anyone working in the firm, they wouldn’t need help getting to his office. And if _he_ did have an unexpected visitor, the receptionist would have buzzed them in, according to standard protocol.

“Can I see you alone for a minute?” Aaron said to the wooden door. The door creaked just a sliver, enough for the young man to slip through without revealing the visitors’ identities.

“Is this a bad time or –,” John asked as he quietly closed the door behind him. He noticed Frederick at Aaron’s desk. “What the hell are you doing here, Frederick?”

“Being Colonel Daddyo’s favourite step-son.”

“That’s not true, I –” Aaron stated.

“Lies!” Frederick and John yelled in unison. Aaron sighed. Literal children. Even Theo didn’t act this childish.

“Who’s here to see me, Johnny?” Aaron enquired.

“Um, a bodyguard, your friend Mr. Dayton, uh, Senator Schuyler, the other New York Senator. Or I think he is? And oh yeah, Mr. Alexander Hamilton is also there.”

“Is there anything you care to tell us, _father_?” Frederick interrogated, dramatically raising an eyebrow. Aaron rolled his eyes in response.

“I’m just as confused as you are,” Aaron confessed. “Now please get out of my chair. I would like Jonathan to believe I don’t get pushed around by my stepsons.”

“And not Mr. Hamilton?” John hinted, a mischievous smile dancing on his face.

“If either of you wish for me to kick you out before you get to meet these influential individuals, please continue to not be on your best behaviour,” Aaron warned paternally.

Frederick promptly got out of the chair, gently kicking the drawer closed. He stood beside his brother, both tall without slouching like children waiting for a cookie. Aaron calmly walked to the door and took a deep breath before opening it.

Sure enough, the five people John listed indeed stood there. Initially, Aaron glanced at Hamilton, whose eyes were glued to the ground. He held a flower bouquet swaddled in white confetti wrapping paper.

The first person to move was Dayton. He stepped forward, arms ready to hug Aaron.

“Aaron Burr!” he addressed affectionately. “It’s been so long, how have you been, man?” Aaron returned the embrace. He didn’t catch Hamilton’s puzzled expression.

“I’ve been good, Jonathan,” Aaron replied, a caring smile gracing his face. “Come in, we can continue with introductions inside.” He gestured the group to follow.

Senator Schuyler frowned when she laid her eyes on the two young men in his office. “And who are they may be?” she asked, her voice laced with displeasure.

“Oh, these two are my step-sons. They both also work at the firm,” Aaron introduced, smiling proudly at the pair. Senator Schuyler and Hamilton exchanged nervous glances. “The one on the right is Augustine but we all call him Frederick and the one on the left is John.”

The aforementioned men shook hands with the four politicians. The broad man in dark colours and with an earpiece, assumingly the bodyguard, hung in the background, arms crossed. He was the only one who didn’t appear fazed.

“Mr. Hamilton, with all due respect,” Frederick began, aware Aaron could see him from the corner of his eye. “What’s up with the flowers?”

“Oh!” Hamilton exclaimed, as if he was surprised he had a bouquet in his hands. “These are for your step um, for Aaron,” he stammered, thrusting the flowers towards Aaron’s chest. Aaron clutched them as he peeked at the flowers inside. Blue and pink hydrangeas. 

“These are beautiful, thank you,” Aaron said. Why did this group of folks bring him flowers? And was Alexander blushing? “So what you brings you all here?”

“We were wondering if we could discuss some issues with you, and you only,” Senator King replied, side-eyeing Frederick and John.

“If this is has anything to do with the photos, I rather have at least one of my personal lawyers here for this discussion,” Aaron reasoned.

“Mr. Burr,” Senator Schuyler cautioned, with a fake smile. “We would like to converse about some very personal and private matters. I don’t think we would like to get lawyers involved.”

“I’m a lawyer,” Aaron deadpanned. Frederick attempted to stifle a snicker while John elbowed his brother to shut up.

“What Angelica here is trying to say,” Senator King stated. “We feel that to truly get the most of this meeting, all major parties should be comfortable and I highly doubt that would be the case with Alexander if your lawyers were here.”

Bullshit, Aaron wanted to yell. Alexander Hamilton was notorious for possessing zero shame.

Aaron studied Alexander, who has been twisting a long lock of hair around his index finger ever since he gave Aaron the hydrangeas. He shrunk into himself, his shoulders hunched over and eyes refusing to look at Aaron. Suddenly, he didn’t seem like the arrogant, hot-headed, passionate, ambitious, and unshakable man Aaron met a few days ago. It was like he barely uttered a word so he couldn’t compromise his opportunity to persuade Aaron of whatever he sought from him.

Aaron glanced at Dayton, he was Aaron’s best chance for negotiation. “No lawyers _but_ I should like to have at least one person I trust here while we have this meeting.”

Dayton contemplated the offer. “Do you have in mind?”

“Bellamy.”

Dayton faced the other politicians. “Best friend since law school. He works in the building,” he explained. Alexander shrugged, while the NY Senators nodded in agreement.

“Fine,” Angelica uttered. “He is the only one permitted, is that a deal?”

Aaron regarded Frederick and John. They exhibited identical tight frowns and furrowed brows on their freckled faces. “Gentlemen,” Aaron acknowledged, as he handed some money to John. “Can you do me a favour and get a vase for the lovely flowers our company has gifted us – “

“You mean your boyfriend gifted you,” Frederick smirked. Aaron was too busy dealing with his step-son to notice how red Alexander’s cheeks were.

“On second thought, I would like you to just find Bellamy and tell him I need him for an urgent and unexpected meeting in my office now. And grab some extra chairs for our guests while you’re at it. I’m sure Johnny can purchase a vase on his own. And John, please feel free to spend the change on something pretty.” Aaron instructed. 

“Come on, that’s not fair, Dad,” Frederick whined.

“Now, I’m _Dad_?” Aaron snorted. “After refusing to call me that for how many years, Freddy?”

“Let’s get out of here and do what Aaron wanted us to do,” John whispered to Frederick, dragging him away slowly. The pair mumbled their goodbyes and rushed off.

“Sorry about that,” Aaron said once his step-sons were out of earshot, now seated at his desk. “Frederick derives great pride in tormenting me. He knows I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Were you cheating on your wife with me?” Alexander interjected, his voice soft and trembling yet his posture stiff.

“No, not with you,” Aaron confirmed, keeping his tone monotone and his facial features neutral. “My wife passed away from cancer last year.”

The group murmured their condolences and the conversation diverged onto more mundane topics as they waited for what felt like an eternality. About five minutes before Bellamy arrived, Frederick dropped off four chairs.

“Freddy, thank you, but three chairs are sufficient,” Aaron advised.

“Actually we are going to need all four chairs,” Alexander argued. “Assuming your friend will be attending this meeting.”

“My apologies if I misunderstood but I was under the impression this meeting was confidential,” Aaron stated.

“It is,” Dayton agreed.

“But the bodyguard is allowed to be here?” Aaron asked, incredulous.

“Oh, you mean Herc,” Alexander gestured to the man in the corner. The man in question gave a polite wave. “Don’t mind him. He’s the secret service guy Washington lent to me while I was out of D.C. Trust me, he will not be paying attention to this conversation. He’s just here to ensure I don’t get assassinated.”

“Very well,” Aaron murmured before shooing Frederick out of the office.

Dayton arranged the seating such that the chairs surrounded Aaron’s desk excluding one set aside for the bodyguard. Senators Schuyler and King sat opposite Aaron with Hamilton between them. Dayton opted for the sole seat along the short end of the table. The guard, Herc, quietly sat in the corner and pulled out something from the pouch Aaron didn’t notice the man carried. Two golden knitting needles with a few lines of snitches already completed. A string of baby pink yarn fell out of his pouch lazily and into the man’s lap. Better not to ask, Aaron determined. 

Finally, Bellamy hurried into the room. “Frederick mentioned something about an emergency meeting?” He said before taking in Aaron’s guests. “Oh, there is a lot of people here.”

“Jon, you have met Mr. Dayton before,” Aaron announced as Bellamy sat beside Aaron. Dayton produced a small smile and Bellamy nodded in acknowledgement. “And you probably know of Senators Rufus King and Angelica Schuyler. And – “

“Alexander Hamilton,” Bellamy finished snidely. “Yes, I believe I read _that name_ in the news recently. What do we owe the pleasure of your presence?” Aaron pretended he didn’t witness Alexander wince.

“We’re here to discuss the aftermath of the photos that were leaked to the press yesterday,” Senator King said. “You have yet to publicly release a statement on the photos and we have a proposal for you to consider.”

“The people aren’t interested in what I have to say,” Aaron retorted solemnly. “Now, if you’re here to bribe me into silence about my opinion on the verdict of the Paterson criminal trial, you’re gladly mistaken.”

“Oh god, no,” Senator Schuyler assured him. “It has nothing to do with _that_ court case.”

“It’s more of a publicity stunt we’re suggesting,” Dayton specified. They came all this way to ask Aaron about a publicity stunt? That doesn’t make sense, unless…

Bellamy laughed curtly. “What? You want to stage a fake relationship between Aaron and Mr. Hamilton.”

“Actually, yes,” Senator King responded. “That is our proposal. A fake relationship.”

Wait. He couldn’t be serious.

“What?” Bellamy replied flatly. The colour was drained from his face and any lightness once there was replaced by a stoic expression.

This must have been a practical joke. They wanted _Aaron_ to pretend to date a man like Alexander Hamilton. A man who retained an opinion on everything and insisted the whole world needed to know said opinions. A man prepared to destroy anyone who offended him in the slightest, not caring if they will take him down with them. A man known for his boldness and impulsivity. A man who demanded to be seen and heard. A man who always had something to prove and lived life like he had nothing to lose.

A man who’ll never be satisfied with anything or anyone long enough.

“No. No way,” Aaron refuted. “I’m not doing it.”

“Aaron, come on,” Dayton coaxed. “We need this. The government can’t have another scandal like this, the public will riot.”

“You also need this, Aaron,” Hamilton added. “The public will think more highly of you and sympathize with your plights more if they believe we are in a relationship.”

“How so, Hamilton?” Aaron demanded. He didn’t _really_ require Alexander’s explanation. He just craved to hear the desperateness in Hamilton’s voice reach a fevour.

“Like it or not, the country has an image of you, which is not necessarily positive. And depending on who you speak with, they already have been dispositioned to believe things that aren’t necessarily true.”

“Like that exactly?” Aaron taunted. A piece of him wanted Alexander to repeat every vile statement the media has broadcasted about Aaron. At least then, Aaron could laugh in Alexander’s face and bitterly reject his ridiculous scheme.

“That you have no self-respect for yourself – “

Aaron didn’t bother to defend himself. It wasn’t like Alexander was totally wrong.

“Hamilton!” Dayton barked, baring his pearly white teeth like a predator cat in captivity. The name echoed several times in the room.

“Sorry,” Alexander retorted, rolling his eyes. “What I meant to say people may believe you’re willing to sleep with anyone, even with the sleazy Treasury Secretary. It’s not a stretch for them to think you always want sex. You can begin to see what I am implying here. I would normally it out loud straight but I don’t want Dayton to yell at me again.”

Was Alexander truly afraid of Dayton yelling at him or didn’t want to feel the guilt and consequences of his words?

“Sexual promiscuity is not uncommon for sexual abuse survivors. An obsession with sex may stem from childhood sexual abuse.” Aaron informed. Hamilton scoffed.

“You’re aware that the age of consent in New Jersey is 16, correct?” Alexander argued.

“One can argue since I was under the age of 18 in that state, I would be legally a minor thus I would be deemed a child when it occurred.” Aaron rejoined, with a small smirk. Alexander wasn’t hiding his frustration at all.

“Twisting words like a true lawyer,” Alexander muttered under his breath.

“But seriously, Aar, rumours are going to grow. You know I believe you a hundred and ten percent but the facts aren’t on your side. The man who sexually assaulted you got acquitted and is a free man. He has been trusted again and again in different political positions, in positions of power. Meanwhile, you found the easiest Cabinet member and slept with him,” Dayton debated. “Sorry, Alex but it’s true.”

“I am not – “Alexander disputed with such conviction, flames dancing in his eyes.

“Yes, you are,” Angelica interposed. “Don’t try to argue it.” Hamilton promptly shut his mouth with an audible click.

“My point being,” Dayton continued, throwing a quick glare at the argumentative pair. “It’s only a matter of time before some news outlet may accuse you of seducing certain men and blackmailing them if they don’t give what you want like money, a job, or whatever.”

“Are you saying they may think I blackmailed Alexander and leaked these photos myself?” Aaron asked. “That’s absurd.”

“No, you didn’t leak the photos yourself. But I can definitely see reporters implying your intent was to use the hook-up as blackmail over Alexander but the photos thwarted your scheme,” Dayton elaborated.

“But I don’t have any way of contacting him.”

“It wouldn’t be incredibly difficult for you to get his contact info. You do have connections, in and out of Washington D.C.,” Dayton speculated.

Aaron hated each valid argument made with a burning passion. It kept reminding him of his huge mistake of hooking up with the fucking Treasury Secretary. Aaron turned to Bellamy. “Bells,” he stated. “What do you think about this?”

“This fake dating scheme is honestly a win-win,” Bellamy discoursed. “The government’s reputation of being morally sound remains intact, Hamilton isn’t associated with another affair and you, Aaron? You don’t lose any more of your credibility as a victim. As long as neither of you screw up and the people who know don’t say anything, this might actually be a great idea.”

Aaron stared at Alexander, who nervously chewed his lip. “I need to know something before I can make a decision,” Aaron asserted.

“What is it?” Dayton demanded.

“Alexander, do you believe I was sexually assaulted?” Aaron asked, making direct contact with the man in question and enunciating each syllable.

“Yes,” Alexander replied deliberately after a pregnant pause, scratching the back of his neck coarsely.

“I’ll do it,” Aaron declared, “I’ll pretend to be in a relationship with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really have any historical notes for chapters outside of Burr's step-sons and the irl age gaps. Since exposition is mostly out of the way, expect to see more verbal sparring from Hamilton and Burr in the upcoming chapters. The best trope to describe their relationship progress is strangers to enemies to friends to lovers (if that's a thing, idk). 
> 
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated!


	5. If the tomcat could get it together, that would be great

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back with another Alex chapter! Thank you for all of the kudos and comments so far :)

Alex zoned out of the conversation once Aaron agreed.

He knew how the rest of the meeting would play out, what they would discuss. Information such as their first public appearance together as a couple would be at John Laurens’ LGBT charity banquet he was hosting in three weeks as a part of his Senator re-election campaign. Or how Alex and Aaron were expected to show up at a few of Rufus’ own campaign events. Worst of all, Alex was required to travel to New York every other weekend to uphold the façade. He found it a bit excessive but at least it permit him to spend more time with his kids.

Alex became preoccupied with studying the diploma hanging on the wall. _Yale Law School_. Alex kinda expected Aaron to graduate from Columbia Law since Princeton didn’t have a law school. Although, it made sense Aaron didn’t obtain his degree from there either or else Alex would have known. Interestingly, Aaron’s undergrad diploma wasn’t on display. Did Aaron believe it was irrelevant to feature his undergrad degree in his office? Or was there another motive as to –

“Alexander!” Angelica shouted, delivering a piercing backhanded slap to his forearm. He winced in pain as he rubbed the now sore spot.

“That’s wasn’t necessary, Angelica,” Alex commented, trying his best not to sound frustrated.

“Then pay attention. We are trying to create a realistic relationship backstory for _your relationship_ ,” Angelica quipped. “Care to contribute?”

“What do you have?”

“Well, if _you_ were listening,” Aaron’s friend, Bellamy said. “Then you would have known that we just asked you when your last hook-up before Aaron was.”

“End of June, I think,” Alex answered. 

“That’s perfect. We can say that you two met around Independence Day weekend. Alex would have been in New York during the July non-legislative period,” Dayton proclaimed. “Next step, how did you two meet?”

“Through a mutual friend,” Aaron improvised smoothly and too quickly for Alex’s liking.

“Who?” Dayton asked. “Ideally someone not in politics so it’s harder to claim your relationship is a scheme.”

“Easy,” Aaron smiled. “A friend of mine, Troup. He texted me yesterday, apparently he knew Alexander since college.”

“Robert Troup?” Alex exclaimed. “How _you_ know him?”

Dayton sighed. “Aw, great. Another person we need to entrust with this secret.”

“Alexander and I can talk to him later this week,” Aaron responded. “Tell him we need his help because we met under scandalous circumstances, without providing the full truth.”

The others nodded in agreement except for Alex. Instead, he just stared at Aaron, grumbling affirmatively. Aaron was proving himself as a skilled liar which made Alex’s skin crawl underneath. What did Alex sign up for exactly? Pretending to be enamoured with a conman? Their relationship hadn’t officially started and Alex was already expected to lie about the original lie. And what if Aaron planned to steal Alex’s money or blackmail him? Did he sleep with Alex with the goal to screw him over in more ways than one?

All Alex knew was that he couldn’t trust Aaron at all.

The rest of the meeting droned on, consisting of rehearsing lines, creating a cohesive storyline, arguing conditions, and eventually signing the sole contract copy. The relationship was supposed to last a few months when they would claim their demanding jobs and the long-distance nature of the relationship was too much for them to handle. Sounded easy enough.

“Any other questions before this meeting is adjourned?” Dayton asked.

“Yeah I got one,” Alex said, his eyes fixated on Aaron. “Aaron, why did you hook-up with me?”

The man smiled sinisterly. “I wanted to know if you would actually give it to me if I did the bare minimum,” Aaron taunted. That shouldn’t have been tantalizing. “And I was right.” Alex shouldn’t be turned on by this.

Alex felt a bubble of rage – among other feelings, build up within him. Angelica audibly gasped, her jaw now dropped. Alex’s eyes flickered over to Dayton who didn’t appear bothered by Aaron’s words. Interesting.

They made a hasty exit after that. Or rather Alex did, with Herc following him. Alex refused to linger in Aaron’s presence longer than necessary. As he stormed out of the building, clattering footsteps ran after him.

“Alex!” Angelica called. He huffed as he faced her.

“Angelica,” Alex said, crossing his arms. “Am I not allowed to leave?”

“Aaron is inviting you to dinner,” Angelica relayed. “He would have messaged you but you left before you two could exchange numbers.”

“There is no way in hell I am going,” Alex announced. “Did you not just hear the shit he said about me?”

“Can you put your pride away for a second, Alexander? He is trying to be nice to you.”

“He basically said he never wanted me Angelica and he didn’t have the audacity to lie to me.” Alex proclaimed as he began walking away from her.

“And you lied to him when he asked if you believed him,” Angelica said, making Alex freeze mid-step. “Stop acting like you’re so high and mighty, Hamilton.”

“He doesn’t know that.” 

“You looked like you ran over his dog when you told him yes. No wonder he’s distrustful of you.” Angelica laughed bitterly. “Just go to dinner and get acquainted with him. This plan hinges on you knowing him enough to make it convincing.”

“I wouldn’t say hinge – “

“Alex, don’t.”

Hours later, Alex stood in Aaron’s living room, holding a bottle of red wine as a house gift and his brown leather workbag slung across his body. Alex tried to dress well, wearing a royal blue sweatshirt and black skinny jeans but he immediately felt underdressed when Aaron greeted him in a pair of beige slacks and a black polo. There was something domestic about the outfit so Alex mentally mocked Aaron for dressing like a middle-class suburban dad instead. It was safer that way. As Aaron took the wine bottle to the fridge, Alex removed his bag and dropped it on the black leather sofa. The apartment wasn’t as large as Alex’s but it had a nice and cozy vibe. After several minutes, Alex ventured into the kitchen, where he found Aaron stirring a pot on the stove with a ladle.

“Smells good,” Alex said, having no idea to navigate this situation. Does he ask if Aaron needs any help? Should he attempt to stimulate conversation?

“I saw you with your workbag,” Aaron replied, observing his pot. “If you want, you can catch up on work while you wait for dinner. I typically do work at the dinner table or in the living room but I have an office room set up if you’re interested in somewhere secluded and professional.” 

“No, living room is fine,” Alex murmured before fleeing.

About 20 minutes passed when someone knocked on the door. Alex didn’t notice as he sorted through papers, comprehending various numbers. Aaron walked by without acknowledging him as his host answered the door.

“Is that the Treasury Secretary sitting in your living room?” a male voice exclaimed. Alex tore his eyes away from his work to this possible commotion. A short teenager with floppy brown hair pushed Aaron out of the way in an attempt to get a better look at Alex.

“William,” Aaron lectured. “Please don’t scare my guest away.” A girl with dark unruly hair and a similar complexion to Aaron stepped into the apartment, tilting her head curiously. Alex guessed she was around the age of his two eldest. She whispered something to Aaron and Aaron responded with a genuine smile.

“Yo, Burr,” the kid, William said, standing in the middle of the room and pointing at Alex. “So _he is_ your boyfriend after all, huh?”

Aaron and the girl walked further into the living room before Aaron grabbed William’s shoulders, preventing him from moving closer.

“William, thank you for getting Theo home,” Aaron deflected, spinning the kid around to face the door and ushering him away. “I believe it is time for you to leave.”

“Aw come on, Burr,” William sulked. “I wanna meet your boyfriend.”

“Maybe some other time,” Aaron proposed. “He should get to meet my daughter before he has to put up with you.” _Daughter?_

“But I thought we were friends!” the kid yelled.

“Goodbye William. Theo and I will see you tomorrow,” Aaron replied, a tiredness making itself more pronounced in his voice as he continued to speak.

“Bye Will!” the girl cheerily added, waving as Aaron closed the door before William could utter another word. Aaron gave a weary and shaky smile as he approached Alex. The girl stood on the opposite side of the coffee table, studying Alex. She made no reaction indicating how she felt about him and frankly, it caused Alex to sweat a little. Her gaze flashed over to Aaron once he came into sight.

Aaron laid a hand on the girl’s back “Theodosia, I would like you to meet someone special to me, this is Alexander,” He introduced gently and sweetly. His dark eyes wavered to Alex. “Alexander, this is my daughter Theodosia.”

“Call me Theo,” Theodosia – err Theo replied, holding out a hand with a large grin. Was the child actually expecting him to shake her hand as if they were in a business meeting? Alex could sense Aaron’s judgemental glare intensify the longer Alex hesitated until he gave in.

“Alexander Hamilton,” he stated as shook Theo’s hand, albeit awkwardly. “but I prefer Alex.”

Theo hummed thoughtfully for a moment. “Actually,” she decided. “I like Alexander better.” As much he wanted to argue with her, Aaron would make Alex’s life hell if he made his daughter upset.

“So Will said Alexander was your boyfriend, is that true?” Theo asked, peering up at her father and regarding him with bright eyes.

“Yes, sweetheart,” Aaron confirmed. “He most certainly is.” Aaron grimaced for a split second as he glanced back at Alex, implying he was as excited about the proposition as much as Alex was.

Aaron quickly mumbled about ensuring the kitchen wasn’t on fire and how dinner would be ready soon before disappearing, leaving Alex alone with Theo. She pored over the papers surrounding Alex’s laptop.

“That’s a big number,” she commented more to herself than to him.

“You’re not wrong there, kid.”

“Alexander,” she declared aloofly, crossing her arms. “There are some stuff we should talk about. Are you going to hurt my dad?” Oh God, Alex was going to receive a shovel talk from an elementary school child.

“No, I don’t want to harm him.” At least he could currently say that much is true. Probably. Aaron hadn’t done anything to make Alex want to punch him yet. Keyword being yet.

“You know that my mother died 16 months ago?”

“No, I didn’t. I’m sorry for your loss. I can understand how you feel. My mother died when I was eleven.” Theo’s expression softened.

“Was she sick too?” She only articulated four words but the way fear trembled in her voice as she spoke screamed everything Alex needed to know. He never liked pondering his mother’s death for obvious reasons but he doubted anyone in Theo’s life could fathom losing a parent so young.

“Yes,” Alex replied, blinking the residual emotions away. “She was sick and holding me. She was sick and she was holding me when she died.”

“My father said my mom died while I was sleeping. He doesn’t know but I overheard him talking to Aunt Sally and said my mother’s last word was my name.” Alex didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t exactly tell her how he still carried tremendous guilt for recovering while his mother went quick. And he certainly wasn’t going to tell Theo about his father leaving, his guardian cousin’s death, or the hurricane.

“How old are you, Theo?” he asked carefully.

“Nine.”

“You’re almost the same age as my boy.”

“You have kids?” Theo replied, incredulous and eyebrows raised.

This was going to be a long night, Alex concluded.

…

“Wine?” Aaron offered, causing Alex to peer up from his work. Aaron was holding two wine glasses and the bottle Alex presented him. “Theo went to bed a while ago. I don’t think it would be too irresponsible to drink a little.”

“I didn’t know you had a daughter,” Alex said as he accepted the glass.

“I didn’t know you wore glasses,” Aaron replied, gesturing to the brown pair of glasses resting on the table. “And unless you want one of us to spill wine all over your papers, I suggest you come sit on the floor with me.”

“So bossy,” Alex muttered as he got up.

“I heard that, you know.”

“That’s the point. I also would like to inform you that I am only listening to you because I need a fucking drink and not because I actually want to get to know you.”

“I’m offering you a drink because I’m a good host and you’re still in my apartment. You’re free to do your work in the privacy of your own home.”

Alex huffed as he sat. He wasn’t planning to lose valuable working time and productivity relocating to a different workspace. Plus, he was at his _boyfriend’s_ place, so if there was anywhere he could overextend his stay, it would be there.

Alex didn’t realize how dark it got until he glanced out the window. Shit. He had always been terrible at keeping track of time. Or that’s what Eliza told him. Maybe he should leave soon and get going. But he could hear Angelica telling him he needed to get to know Aaron and the easiest way had to be inebriated. Staying another hour wouldn’t hurt anyone. It wasn’t like Aaron wasn’t any less attractive just because he was mean to Alex.

“Just pour me the damn wine, Aaron,” Alex snapped.

“You could be nicer about it, Alexander,” Aaron stated as he poured himself some wine, ignoring Alex’s tantrum. Rude.

“What? You’re going to kick me, your loving boyfriend of three months, out of your apartment?” Alex snarled.

“Listen, Alexander,” Aaron growled slowly, leaning in close so their faces were a few inches apart. “All I ask from you is to be respectful of me in my own _fucking_ home.”

“What are you doing to do about it, hmm? You signed a contract and you don’t even have a copy to find a loophole out of it.” Alex sneered. “Of course snakes like you will try to slither their way out of a commitment.”

“You know nothing about me,” Aaron dared. Alex could feel Aaron’s warm breath against his own mouth. “Tell me something you know about me that’s not from my case.”

Alex weighed his options as a sly smile crept on his face. Go big or go home, right? He might as well get something out of this aside from his name not getting dragged in the mud.

“I know you liked it when I kissed you right there,” Alex purred as he caressed the underside of the corner of Aaron’s jaw. “And I know you liked it I called you _sir_ the other night. You liked it _a lot_ if I recalled correctly.”

Aaron gawked at him like a deer caught in headlights, shoving Alex away, suddenly creating as much distance he could between them. “I don’t know what impression I gave you but I think you misread the situation, Alexander.”

“So you don’t want me, _sir_?” Alex leered as he leaned closer, battling his eyelashes.

“I don’t particularly like you,” Aaron replied, trying to scramble away, “Ever since I got to know your abrasive personality.”

“And I don’t like you either. But that doesn’t mean we can’t sleep together,” Alex tempted. “I am well-versed in hate fucking. And if you’re worried about me being loud, you can – “

“Get the hell of my apartment, Hamilton,” Aaron barked. “I don’t want you at all.” This time, he pushed Alex to the floor before marching to the couch, abandoning the bottle and his glass. Aaron didn’t mean that, right?

Alex groused as he sat up, watching Aaron collect Alex’s scattered papers on the coffee table. “What are you doing?” Alex asked with a small pout.

“Packing up your stuff so you can leave faster,” Aaron replied, shoving files in Alex’s workbag. Aaron showcased no emotion to Alex’s chagrin.

“I thought we were playing a game,” Alex confessed, quietly and childlike. By the time he stood up, Aaron already had cleared the table, leaving no remnants that Alex was ever there. 

“Consent is not a game, Hamilton,” Aaron scowled, hurling Alex’s workbag at him. Alex emitted an ‘oof’ sound as the bag hit him squarely in the chest.

Neither of them said anything as Aaron guided Alex to the front door. Alex should do something to repair things but what? He couldn’t have Aaron hate him for the span of their fraudulent relationship.

“I’m sorry.” Alex finally expressed when Aaron held the door open for him, unable to meet Aaron’s probably hurt eyes. It wouldn’t be enough to say those empty words but Alex had to start somewhere.

“Do you mean it?”

“Let me make it up to you,” Alex suggested, the remorse swimming in his stomach. “You and Theo can come for dinner tomorrow. I have the kids for the rest of the week so she can meet them. I promise I won’t try to make a move or make you uncomfortable in any way.”

“I’ll think about it,” Aaron replied coldly. “And Alexander?”

“Yes?”

“Remember we are meeting Troup tomorrow for lunch.”

“Yes, sir,” Alex answered before he realized what he said. “I mean just yes, I wasn’t trying to –“

“Talk less,” Aaron advised, his face showing off the smallest hint of a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow,” Alex mumbled.

Alex stared at the suite number on the now locked door as he contemplated what the hell he was supposed to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- The only real explicit historical note I got is that Robert Troup did know both Hamilton and Burr but I'll go more in depth in the next chapter  
> \- I originally envisioned this chapter going a lot differently when I was first writing this but oh well  
> \- It's true that Princeton doesn't have a Law School! The reason I decided Burr went to Yale for his law degree for three reasons: 1. Historically, Bellamy studied law at Yale (but note that their Law School was founded in 1824), 2. Irl Burr went to the Litchfield Law School in Connecticut (which his brother-in-law created) but it closed in 1833 so I opted for the closest Ivy League law school (and Yale also happened to be in Connecticut as well) and 3. Aaron couldn't go to Columbia for plot reasons  
> \- Something I actually texted my beta reader: 'Question of the day - why is Hamilton a hoe? @ myself' 
> 
> But I'll see all of you next time! (assuming university doesn't kill me first)


	6. But like who arranged the venue, the menu, the seating?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyy I'm back! In case you didn't know, school can be hectic y'all but anyways here have some actual faking dating content

Alex devoted most of the following morning to freaking out.

He spent a solid hour on a call with Laurens. When Alex told him his predicament, John laughed, telling Alex how much of a disaster he was. Laurens wasn’t wrong but it didn’t exactly _help_ Alex repair the situation either. Unfortunately, Alex had no one else he could go to. For starters, the exact nature of Dayton and Aaron’s friendship was still up in the air, but Dayton wouldn’t appreciate discovering why Alex got kicked out of the Burrs’ apartment. Angelica would just make a snide remark about how Alex couldn’t even maintain a short fake relationship. Madison was also out of the question for several reasons, mainly because he would kill Alex for disrupting his honeymoon. As for Washington, Alex wasn’t interested in the man’s romance advice or hearing his disappointed voice when Alex told him he messed up again. It would make Washington more of a father figure and less of a bother figure. And Alex certainly couldn’t have that. Of course, there was Jefferson as a last resort but no way in hell Alex would ever ask _him_ for assistance.

“Hey Herc, you’re married, right?” Alex asked the man in the driver’s seat. The duo were waiting outside of Aaron’s workplace.

“Happily so,” Hercules hummed. “What’s up? Got in a fight with your boyfriend?” The word _boyfriend_ made Alex blush scarlet. He had no idea if Hercules knew and was playing along.

“Something like that,” Alex agreed. “I’m not good at this. You know, apologizing.”

“That’s an understatement,” Hercules chuckled. “What are you going to do, kid?”

“Uh, I thought about making a homecooked meal but that would require the ability of knowing how to cook well.”

“What about a love letter?”

“A love letter?” Alex pondered about the love letters he wrote Eliza. Most of them were now ashes in the fireplace of their old home. Nevertheless, he could easily recall those memories of when she callously tossed them into the flames a few nights after the affair went public. He stood by the doorway, helplessly watching tears stream down her delicate face. Oh, how he vividly remembered how she screamed that he lost the rights to their bed and how he can sleep in his office instead. All in front of the children.

She began filing paperwork for the divorce hours later.

The sound of a car door closing distracted Alex from his thoughts. He turned to see Aaron putting on his seatbelt.

“Um, Alexander?” Hercules asked.

“Yeah?”

“Aren’t you going to sit with your boyfriend?” Hercules inquired. Right, he should probably do that. Alex gave a quick nod and hopped out of the car. Aaron stared at him as Alex sat beside him and tried to determine the appropriate amount of space to leave between them.

“Hello Alexander,” Aaron said curtly as he finally stopped scrutinizing him with those calculating eyes.

“Hi babe,” Alex smirked as he leaned in to give Aaron a quick peck on his cheek. The man stiffened against his lips and didn’t move even as Alex pulled back.

“About that,” Aaron stammered once Alex was out of his personal space. “We should probably go through PDA, nicknames, and _boundaries_.”

Alex’s stomach churned, afraid Aaron would bring up what happened in his apartment the other night, yet he didn’t. But Aaron’s demeanour made Alex a little uneasy, like Aaron would spring the issue on Alex when he least anticipated it.

Instead, the ride consisted of Aaron and Alex bickering and negotiating the minuscule details pertaining to their relationship. Apparently, Aaron wasn’t a fan of nicknames so Alex seized the opportunity to sample every sickening sweet couple nickname he could think of. After Alex called him _the love of his life_ Aaron muttered something about being ready to throw Alex into oncoming traffic. They were debating over what was appropriate PDA when they pulled up to the parking lot. Sure enough, Robert Troup could be seen seated by a restaurant window.

For a moment, Alex thought Aaron would be a gentleman and offer his hand to Alex as he got out. But nope, Aaron swayed a little and his hands remained in his pockets as Alex’s feet hit the pavement. Instead, he basically hugged Alex’s arm and nuzzled against his shoulder with his eyes closed once Alex stood next to him. A dopey smile emerged on his face which kinda made Aaron look adorable and not at all repulsed by Alex.

“Let’s go lovebirds,” Hercules said as he locked the car, the vehicle beeping and its lights flashing behind them.

Aaron remained loosely wrapped around Alex’s upper arm when the waiter brought them to their table, Hercules trailing behind them. Robert peeked from his menu as the group got closer and beamed. He stood and hugged each friend separately, personally greeting them, while Hercules silently sat down and watched the reunion unfold, amused.

“You know,” Robert said after they ordered. “I was completely surprised when I found out on the news the other day. I can’t believe either of you didn’t tell me that you were dating someone.”

“You know me well, Robert,” Aaron replied, all smooth and charming. “I’m private with my life when I can be. I didn’t want to rush announcing the first relationship I’m in after my wife’s passing. I would have mentioned to you if I was aware that you knew Alexander.”

Hold on, Alex was his first relationship after his wife died? An ill-feeling of guilt chewed at him as he took in the fact.

“You’re forgiven,” Robert dismissed with a wave before turning to Alexander. “What’s your excuse, Alex?”

“You see,” Alex started, his nerves already getting the best of him. “After what happened with my marriage, I felt it would be best to keep any of my casual relationships on the down-low.”

“Yeah, but you could have told me, man,” Robert argued. “You could have texted me.”

“What my darling Alexander is trying to say,” Aaron persuaded, smiling sweetly, and placing a hand on Alex’s forearm, Alex fought the urge to squirm out of his touch. “We felt it was for best if we didn’t mention it to anyone until we felt we were getting serious especially considering who we are. Isn’t that right, babe?”

“Yup. But then the media got a hold of it,” Alex added, before briefly maintaining steady eye contact with Aaron. Alex bestowed him a small smile in his best attempt to thank Aaron for saving him.

“When did the two of you start dating?” Robert asked.

“2 months,” Aaron responded.

“3 months,” Alex said at the same time. Troup frowning at them as crease lines appeared on his forehead.

“We met in early July, hence we are both correct,” Alex explained.

“So, apparently, both of you messaged me, saying you need my help with something?” Robert mused.

“Uh, yes,” Alex admitted, fiddling with the tablecloth. “I have this interview coming up in a few days.”

“Who’s the host?” Robert remarked.

“My former sister-in-law.”

Robert let out a chuckle. “What? They couldn’t find anyone impartial on short notice?”

“Peggy is one of the best and knows how to be professional,” Alex replied, a little defensive. “And unlike Ms. Church, she doesn’t hate my guts.

“Who’s Ms. Church?” Aaron inquired.

“Um, Senator Angelica Schuyler?” Robert said, his eyebrows scrunching up. “She just uses her maiden name because she already built a reputation for herself in the glamourous world of politics when she got married. I’m assumed Alex would have told you by now.” Uh oh. 

“We don’t see each other a lot since Alex works in D.C.,” Aaron responded.

“Yeah,” Alex interjected, slightly panicky. “And when we do see each other, we don’t talk much. Mainly because we’re too busy having sex. A lot of it.”

Aaron sighed. “Alexander, can you not talk about our sex life in public, please?”

“You’re asking the man who wrote the Reynolds tweets to _not_ talk about his sex life?” Robert questioned.

Shortly after some sleazy asshole reporter published Alex’s affair, the internet went nuts. People demanded Alex to step down from his role, believing he genuinely engaged in illegal speculation despite the article stating the opposite. So Alex had no choice, but to tweet out those screenshots of his phone notes, detailing the entire true story, revealing everything. Including how Maria exactly seduced him.

“Well, that’s beside the point. I don’t know about Alexander, but I didn’t come here to discuss our…,” Aaron spluttered.

“Sex life?” Hercules supplied, barely glancing up from his phone with a slight upwards quirk dancing on his lips, clearly enjoying how flustered Aaron was getting as much Alex sure was. 

“Yes…that,” Aaron confirmed. “Anyways, we are confident Peggy will ask Alexander how we met and the truth is bound to spark public outrage against the both of us. We were thinking of claiming that we met through you. Mutual friends are a common way to meet a future significant other and it’s mundane enough for no one to doubt the narrative’s validity.”

“How did you guys really meet?” Robert interrogated, his eyes narrowing on the couple.

“One-night stand,” Alex disclosed. “We met at Ja – Ow! “Aaron dug his nails into Alex’s skin using the hand that was still casually resting on Alex’s arm.

“Sorry _babe_ ,” Aaron gritted through his smile, his glare solely on Alex. “I got a bit nervous that you were going to say something that would embarrass yourself.”

“You have emotions?” Alex deadpanned. “That’s new, must be kinda draining, isn’t it?”

“You can be an asshole, you know that, right?” Aaron said as he peered down at his phone, typing. “Sorry, babysitter,” he muttered to himself.

“I’m your asshole, babe, and you love my –“

“You’re not get laid if you finish that sentence,” Aaron warned. Alex’s phone dinged. Perhaps, it was Washington or another co-worker from Capitol Hill. Alex checked only to find out Aaron texted him, reminding Alex they couldn’t afford to compromise the plan no matter how much they trusted Troup. He huffed in frustration, why did Aaron have to be right? It was dangerous to divulge the truth in a public space where anyone could be listening.

“Sorry, Eliza just sent me a reminder text to pick up the kids after school,” Alex fibbed. “But back to our lustful ‘how we met’ story. It was the night before I was flying back to work, I just dropped off the kids at Eliza’s, and I realized two things. One, I had an empty apartment with no children to cockblock. And two, I was horny.”

Aaron sighed. “My daughter was at a sleepover so Bells – “

“Bells?” Alex asked.

“Bellamy,” Aaron verified.

“Alex, you don’t know your boyfriend’s best friend?” Robert said, raising an eyebrow again.

“Well, I bet you Aaron doesn’t know my best friend, hmm?”

“That’s easy,” Aaron replied, calm. “Senator John Laurens of South Carolina. You met him in your freshman year of college when he was a senior.” How did he know that?

“That was a lucky guess,” Alex complained.

“Or I pay attention to the many, many things you have said,” Aaron countered.

“Hey, I’m not a bad boyfriend!” Alex whined.

“I never said you were, Alexander,” Aaron reassured, smiling almost lovingly at him as he placed his hand over Alex’s hand on the table. “You’re an excellent boyfriend, I wouldn’t be dating you otherwise.” For a second, Alex genuinely believed his words.

Then he remembered.

Robert rolled his eyes. “Are you going to actually finish the story or just happily glaze at each other like the lovesick weirdos you two are?”

Alex definitely _did not_ blush at that sentence. He didn’t.

“Honestly, how we met isn’t that complicated,” Aaron continued, oblivious to Alex’s apparent reaction. “I was at a bar with a friend, Alexander came over to flirt with me, later we went to his place and did the deed – “

“Prude,” Alex coughed.

“You wouldn’t be dating me if I was a prude, Alexander.”

“He has a point, man,” Hercules piped up, casually munching on the free bread the waiter offered them earlier.

“Yeah, anyways,” Alex diverted. “I must have been good in bed because Aaron asked me if we could get coffee sometime – “

“Why do you talk about sex so much?” Aaron grimaced.

“It makes you squirm and fidget and have real emotions,” Alex responded, matter of factly.

“I’m not a robot.”

“As you said that robotically,” Alex retorted. “Anyways, we got coffee the next time I was in New York which turned into us going on more dates and eventually liking the other person.”

“That’s how we ended up in a relationship,” Aaron confirmed, with Alex violently nodding.

“And we couldn’t be happier,” Alex smiled at Robert before he kissed Aaron’s shoulder, fluttering his eyelashes at Aaron while doing so.

“I keep forgetting you love physical affection,” Aaron mumbled, glancing off, searching for the waiter.

“Yes, I thrive on attention,” Alex murmured as he laid his head on Aaron’s shoulder, with a smug smile, knowing he could get away with it.

“Robert,” Aaron addressed. “Can you help us?”

“All you have to do is let us say we met you and you don’t deny it if anyone asks,” Alex added. “That’s all you gotta do. Please.”

Alex pleaded with his eyes as Robert leaned back into his chair and studied the couple. After a minute, he replied. “Of course. Anything for two of my long-standing friends.”

“Really Troup?” Alex exclaimed, wide eyes. “What?” Aaron stated simultaneously. They both turned to give the other person a confused look, while Robert laughed. Alex couldn’t held responsible for getting lost in the black holes known as Aaron Burr’s eyes.

“Um, Alexander?” Hercules said softly, gently nudging him. “I believe if you are going to kiss him, now is the time to do it.”

“No, he’s good,” Aaron declared, dramatically looking the other way, lightly shrugging Alex off his shoulder.

“Aw,” Alex pouted as he reluctantly lifted his head off Aaron. A twinge of sadness tugged at Alex’s heart as he considered the prospect of Aaron genuinely not wanting to kiss him. Now that he thought about it, Aaron barely kissed him on the lips during their fling – or not as much as Alex would like. Whenever Alex tried, Aaron would dodge and placed his own lips somewhere on Alex’s body, successfully distracting him almost every time. That’s fine, Alex didn’t care. The only reason Alex wanted to kiss the man senseless was because he was physically attracted to him. That’s all.

Robert chuckled “I should have introduced you two a long time ago. You are good for each other.”

“We are?” Alex replied, mouth gaping wide. Aaron smiled softly for a fraction of a second before it was lost to his neutral expression.

Robert couldn’t be falling for this.

Alex wanted to laugh so hard and say it was all a silly ruse, but he bit his tongue. Instead, he let Aaron change the topic seamlessly. Lunch continued on rather smoothly. Heck, Alex kept forgetting the purpose of lunch was supposed to be him and Aaron endeavouring to convince Troup and not friends catching up. Even Herc joined the discussion from time to time, often just to tell an unflattering anecdote about Alex.

Partway through lunch, Aaron had to excuse himself to take a call from a client. Alex watched him walk outside. Both Hercules and Robert snickered.

“You really like that one, huh?” Hercules smirked.

“I wouldn’t be dating him if I didn’t,” Alex quipped. “But Rob, how did you meet Aaron?”

“He didn’t tell you?” Robert asked, eyes narrowed.

“I must have forgotten,” Alex said. “Tell me again, it will probably jog my memory.”

“You remember how I transferred to Columbia after doing a year at Princeton,” Robert started. By the time he finished retelling, Aaron returned only to say he had to leave due to a work emergency. Hercules offered to drive him as the waiter handed Aaron a takeout container. Before the pair left, Aaron gave Alex a forehead kiss while Hercules told Alex to stay alive and not die until Herc got back. Once they left, Robert turned his attention onto Alex.

“There aren’t many people who can keep up with your mind, Alex. Or manage to tame you –” Robert started in disbelief.

“He can’t tame me! I am as untamed as a wild and fierce lion,” Alex declared.

“Dude, you’re whipped. Admit it.”

Alex desperately tried to avoid ruminating about what happened in Aaron’s apartment. He wasn’t going to kid anyone he overstayed purely so he could do work. But none of this made sense. Something akin to real panic shone in Aaron’s eyes when Alex attempted to hit on him. And made Alex go home full of guilt and remorse – sure Alex was an asshole, but he didn’t want Aaron to feel uncomfortable in his presence. Then, he acted like nothing was wrong all day. Yet, the man was affectionate towards Alex one minute and close to hostile the next. As much as Alex would like to claim Aaron’s behaviour wasn’t bugging him, it totally was.

“He can be so hard to read sometimes,” Alex whispered.

Robert’s expression softened. “You’ll get used to it. He has been like ever since I met him. He gets easier to understand once you understand his quirks and triggers,”

“Like triggers, triggers?”

“Yes Alex, triggers, triggers. I don’t know how much he has told you about his life but it isn’t pretty.”

“No not really, probably since we started seeing each other recently and I’m in a different city a lot.”

“If this is your way of asking me about his past, it’s not my place to tell,” Robert warned.

“But Troup,” Alex pouted.

“Your little sad doggy face isn’t going to change my answer,” Robert replied. “Good thing you’re dating Aaron, it will teach you to have some patience for once.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- So turns out Troup somehow was both Burr's and Hamilton's roommate during college (at separate times of course) irl which only makes me more amazed at how intertwined Burr and Ham's lives truly were. In the end, Troup graduated from Columbia (hence why more ppl know he and Hamilton were roommates)  
> \- Troup was lifelong friends with both of them too! I wondered how he felt about the duel lol  
> \- I don't remember how Hamilton got the nickname 'little lion' but that was definitely a thing  
> \- There's some references to The Great Comet and Brooklyn Nine-Nine (listen Hamilton and G.Wash have the same vibe as Peralta and Holt, don't @ me) 
> 
> Stay tuned for the next two chapters! Ms. Maria Reynolds and the Hamilton children are scheduled to make appearances, and we also learn more about Burr's past! (Hopefully I'll post on time but who knows)


	7. And that's when Ms. Maria Reynolds walked into our plot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm finally back with a new chapter! But I got a few things to address first -
> 
> So sorry for the delay, it's just that in the point in the term where there's always something due (even during reading week). I already had this chapter drafted out a while ago but editing is a whole another issue. 
> 
> Next, I would like to thank everyone for taking their time to read this story so far. Honestly, I thought a lot less people would be interested but I was clearly wrong. I also want to give a shoutout to everyone who already gave a kudo, commented, and/or bookmarked/subscribed to this, it really means a lot. 
> 
> Content warning: slightly detailed flashback pertaining to sexual assault, brief mentions of victim-blaming, and a subtle reference to past childhood abuse. Consider yourself warned.

When Aaron found a beige envelope on his desk, he became immediately suspicious. He picked it up cautiously and examined it. In rather elegant handwriting, his first and last name was written in cursive letters in the center. The return address wasn’t one Aaron recognized but the initials A.H. may have insinuated who the sender was. Aaron sighed as he placed it on a pile of files and began arranging the hydrangeas on his desk, now in a pale blue vase. This wasn’t the time to worry about his current bane of existence, not when he had a scheduled meeting with a potential client.

How he felt towards Hamilton was complicated, to say the least.

Why couldn’t he stop thinking about what happened?

That dinner from two nights ago was going well, or at least as it could have under the circumstances they were in. The entire affair was an excuse for Aaron to try out this veal parmigiana recipe, not because he wanted to impress the man probably accustomed to fancy state dinners. When Aaron bought the pasta and Caesar salad out, Alexander was in the middle of telling Theo a story about Vice President Adams and Theo was almost fascinated by the tale. Aaron was more fascinated by the way Alexander’s hands gestured quickly yet so fluidly, like a conductor of an orchestra.

Something tugged at his heartstrings when he saw the sight laid in front of him. It was almost domestic in a sense. In all honesty, the sound of Theo, his pride and joy, giggling was blissful music to his ears. She asked silly questions to Hamilton, and Aaron could never picture his daughter acting childlike, innocent, her own age, ever since the first diagnosis. And suddenly, the appeal of having Hamilton around more often dramatically increased. Aaron could easily adjust to having Alexander in his home, not scowling or pouting. God, the man had a charming smile and pure joy radiated from his gentle brown eyes, he could understand why half of the population adored this hurricane of a human. The Burrs’ home hasn’t been this alive in the timespan they lived in this apartment. Maybe Alexander wasn’t as bad as Aaron portrayed him in his mind, maybe Alexander wasn’t the monster Aaron wishes he was.

And Hamilton had to ruin it all, like the hurricane he was.

Aaron knew the man didn’t intend to cause him harm but he was genuinely terrified Hamilton wasn’t going to take no for an answer. After Hamilton left, he spent most of the night overthinking, trying to comprehend why Hamilton believed he might have been interested. When he did got some sleep, it was plagued with _that nightmare_. He was suddenly 16 again, standing in _that apartment_. He could feel someone pressed against his back, their warm breath against his ear.

_“Little Burr, little Burr,” the voice whispered melodically._

He hated how familiar and distinguished that voice was. Fingers ran through his hair, longer than how he currently kept it. He could feel himself being spun around to see that face before his body was slammed down monumentally on the mattress. 

Sometimes, he got lucky and woke up before any articles of clothing were taken off.

What did it say about Aaron’s life if he preferred the other nightmares that haunted his slumber since childhood? And there was the living nightmare of being tangled in the world of the mythical Alexander Hamilton, a man as unpredictable as love, death, and life itself.

A knock on his door broke his reverie.

“Is this the office of Mr. Aaron Burr?” a young woman in a tan coat mumbled, curiously taking a step into the office. Her shoulders were hunched, arms were wrapped around herself, hugging her body as a self-soothing gesture. Frantically, her hair tumbled out of her red beret and against her face, drawing attention to the noticeable scratch on her cheek. She didn’t look like a seductress capable of manipulating men. Rather, she reminded him of Éponine. But again, he wasn’t the person the media portrayed him as either. He always whatever was most convenient for someone else to prove their point.

“That depends, who’s asking?” he smiled softly.

“Uh, Ms. Maria Reynolds,” Maria replied, barely making eye contact. “You must have heard about me, sir.”

“And you must have heard of me as well,” Aaron countered. “Please come in, take a seat, would you like some water?”

“No thank you,” Maria said as she treaded into his office. "But I appreciate the gesture." 

“How can I help you, Ms. Reynolds?” he queried, moving to take a seat at his desk.

“I know you are a man of honour and I’m terribly sorry for bothering at this hour,” Maria rambled, leaving Aaron to furrow his brows and compressed his lips in a straight line.

“These are my normal working hours, madam,” Aaron commented. “You’re not bothering me in the slightest. What made you feel the need to pay a visit?”

“Um, my husband,” Maria stammered, her gaze fixated on the flowers.

“What about your husband?” Aaron prodded, maintaining a gentle tone.

“He’s, uh, he’s in prison. Again.”

“Are you looking for a lawyer to help your husband with his criminal charges?”

“I’m looking for a divorce,” she confessed, covering up her mouth immediately, aghast of what she just said.

“Oh,” Aaron responded. “I don’t blame you. I would want a divorce from him too.”

Anyone who wasn’t living under a rock knew how the tale went. James Reynolds, a petty part-time crook, was looking for another quick scheme to make some quick money, no matter how dirty the money was. He forced his wife to approach and attempt to seduce Alexander Hamilton one summer evening while his family was out of town. Soon, it became a pastime for Hamilton whenever his wife wasn’t home for next year. And James Reynolds, the schemer he was, began extorting money from Hamilton and Hamilton happily obliged.

Nearly 6 months after the affair officially ended, James Reynolds went to prison for another scam. As a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card, he willingly spilled Hamilton’s dirty little secret, well aware Hamilton would have to make a sadistic choice – reveal the affair or admit to allegations he wasn’t guilty of. Two Virginians and the former House speaker walk into a room to confront Hamilton about the possible corruption he was involved in. Obsessed with his legacy, Hamilton pulled out all the papers and the back and forth messages between Hamilton and the Reynolds to clear his name. Too bad the Virginian senator had a wire on him which was a direct pipeline to someone who forwarded it to a controversial journalist who specialized in scandals.

It only got worse when Hamilton, desperate to ensure no one viewed him as corrupt, published ‘The Reynolds Tweets’, painting himself as a victim of blackmail and seduction.

“I don’t know what you heard, Mr. Burr,” Maria continued, her head down. “My husband was doing me wrong. He’s been beatin’ me, mistreatin’ me, and was cheating on me the entire time. Since he’s up and gone, I need to go on, I need to move on.”

Aaron grabbed a pen, ready to write. “Ms. Reynolds, I would like to establish a timeline here and have clear details on what happened during your marriage. I can most likely get you more than a divorce, perhaps battery or aggravated assault charges as well as a restraining order.”

For the first time, Maria regarded him, her eyes suddenly hopeful and full of light. The side of her mouth twitched upwards for a moment.

“You can do that?” She wondered, purely in disbelief.

“I could potentially help you with all of that,” Aaron agreed. “Or if you feel more comfortable having another lawyer take this case, I understand.”

Her brows wrinkled. “I don’t understand, sir. Why would you believe that I would want another lawyer when I came to your office?”

“I assumed you must have heard the scandal involving myself and the Treasury Secretary.”

“I want a lawyer who can understand the choices I made that led me to this decision. Many of those decisions were partially because of Mr. Hamilton. I think you can understand the struggles I’ve faced, including what it’s like to be involved with someone like Mr. Hamilton and the publicity that comes with it.”

“You have no idea,” Aaron replied, making Maria laugh heartedly.

“You’re the perfect lawyer for me, don’t you see? You know what it’s like to be a victim painted as the villain,” she appealed.

“I think there is one complication you should be aware of if you insist on me being your lawyer.”

“What is this complication, sir?”

Aaron took a deep breath as he gathered up courage and the right words. “I’m, I’m dating Alexander Hamilton,” he confessed, eyes closed. “I’m utterly and madly in love with the man.” Aaron fought the strong urge to wince. He slowly opened his eyes.

“Oh?” Maria exclaimed, her jaw slack and her eyes wide. “I suppose a congratulation is in order.”

“Thank you,” Aaron mumbled, the damn envelope catching his attention again.

“You’re not the only person in this room who knows what’s it like to be in love with him.” Her gaze shifted to anywhere and everywhere that wasn’t Aaron’s face. “At least he loves you back,” she added resentfully.

“What exactly happened between you two?” Aaron asked, cautious in his approach.

“You must already know about the affair. I couldn’t walk the street for weeks without people calling me a homewrecker.” Her voice got hoarser as she went on.

“I know his side of the story, not yours. No one mentioned how you were in an unhappy marriage. Did Hamilton know about how your husband treated you?”

She glanced down with a neutral expression, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yes and no. He didn’t know the extent of it.”

Aaron slammed his fist down on the desk, causing Maria to startle. “That vile excuse of a human being,” he sneered.

“But isn’t he your boyfriend?”

Shit. The one time his self-control failed. Well, twice if you count Hamilton.

This is what happens when he doesn’t restrain himself and lets an extreme opinion slip, Aaron supposed. Perhaps, Hamilton’s blabber mouth was rubbing off on him, how else could he explain this blunder? He knew better than to be partial. At a young age, he already mastered the art of not letting others know what he was against or what he was for. Because God forbid if he didn’t say the right thing, he would earn a new bruise that he would have to find a creative way to cover up. _Fools who run their mouths off wound up dead_ , his uncle often told him.

Like in this instance.

“Ha – Alexander, he convinced me he’s a changed man and wasn’t the man you knew three years ago,” he lied. “Sometimes I forgot he did some terrible things.” Terrible things would be an understatement, Aaron snickered internally. The members of the press weren’t exaggerating Hamilton’s selfishness and self-absorbedness.

“Do you believe he learned from his mistakes?” She asked, tilting her head curiously.

No, not at all. “Yes,” he responded. “I still probably will talk to him about this the next time I see him. Are you sure you want me as your lawyer?”

“Yes, I did my research.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, sir.”

“What did you find?”

“You’re one of the most distinguished lawyers in the city. Your reputation precedes yourself and I read up on your case, sir.”

Aaron’s blood ran cold.

It’s amazing how he was defined by getting into university at 16 and that damn case. And the only reason anyone knew about the former was usually because of the latter.

Aaron could vividly recall being on the stand.

Despite having losing faith in religion, he had one hand on the Bible, the other raised an appropriate amount as he solemnly swore to tell nothing but the truth. The lawyers in the courtroom asked question after question, making him describe in detail each encounter, critiquing and dissecting his relationship with Will. Relentless, the defense lawyers claimed Aaron originally consented and accused him of making a false allegation to hide his own shame, bringing up how Aaron’s family was pious. They painted him as a hypersexual, lying, manipulative, and greedy young adult who felt he could do whatever he wanted because he had money and a sad childhood.

After the court trial ended, Aaron couldn’t go outside without strangers recognizing him. With every wannabe lawyer obsessed with his case, he dreaded attending class as he couldn’t escape being the topic of discussion or the judgemental eyes of his peers. For a while, he occasionally used fake names so people wouldn’t recognize who he was and proceed to tell him their personal opinion about the trial, things he has heard several times before. The trial condemned him to a lifetime of being constantly reminded of his three years of trauma.

He still doesn’t know if he regretted filing the lawsuit.

“Am I overstepping, Mr. Burr?” Maria asked. “You haven’t said a word for the last three minutes.”

“No, no, no,” he replied. “I don’t like discussing my case.”

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean any harm, I just wanted to say that the man was clearly guilty,” she stammered, blushing a little. Aaron relaxed as he let out a relieved sigh.

“I’m glad you think so. It’s not exactly fun working with a client who thinks otherwise. Anyways, shall we get back to establishing a timeline?”

“Does that mean you will help with my divorce?”

“Of course.”

The rest of the meeting flew by, ending when Maria said she had to pick up her daughter soon. Aaron checked his phone once she departed. As expected, the usual, both of his step-sons and Bellamy texted him. To boot, he also had a message from Robert saying he had a good time at lunch yesterday and how he hoped to see them again. Another message from Dayton who wanted to check up on him and seven messages from the one and only Alexander Hamilton, still profusely trying to apologize. Which only made Aaron groaned. Shaking his head, he put his phone away and contemplated opening the envelope. He glanced at his watch, he had 10 minutes to kill.

He gave into his curiosity and grabbed a letter opener from the top drawer. He started reading the first page of the letter.

> _Dearest Mr. Aaron Burr,_
> 
> _My good sir, I usually don’t resort to such means but I didn’t have the faintest idea how to reach a man with a reserved nature such as yourself pertaining to matters of the heart. It is no secret that I am an abrasive individual with a tendency to place pleasure over all else – my ex-wife can attest this is the reason why our marriage fell apart. However, even I am capable of feeling remorse over my reckless behaviour, despite what the common opinion believes otherwise. Perhaps, my lack of understanding and despise for the average person’s boundaries stems from my upbringing or my mantra of chasing after what I want in life using bold strokes._
> 
> _Nonetheless, I have noticed an absence of openness from your end in our recent interactions ever since you had me over for dinner the other night – which I did not thank you for earlier. I hope you can forgive me for my manners and behaving like a terrible guest in your wonderful home overall. Despite us being near-strangers, I oddly miss your charm and dry wit that comes with being a somewhat trusted acquaintance of yours. Indeed, we have not known each other for long intimately – but I have yet to meet many people who can keep up with my own brilliant mind such as yourself. You should be flattered to be in an exclusive club with the likes of fellow members as Ms. Angelica Schuyler. Speaking of who, she has seemed to take a slight likening to you, Mr. Burr. She describes you as and I quote – someone who can handle me in a relationship and who will call me out on my bullshit._

The letter goes on for another six pages and based on what Aaron skimmed through, the gist of it is the same. Alexander goes on and on, dancing around the apology for the one thing Aaron wants a simple and direct apology for. He skipped to the last paragraph –

> _Although some may say I’m annoying or very good at nagging others into doing my bidding, I think of myself as persistent. Hence, this is why I am trying to woo you similar to how an old-fashioned romantic suitor would. Regardless, I was hoping I would get to enjoy your and your bright daughter’s company one last time before I leave for work. I do still owe you a nice conversation over some fine wine where I do not make a fool of myself. My children are rather interested in meeting their father’s new beau. Well, I think they are more excited about meeting Theo whom I told them much about. Nevertheless, I urge you to take some time to consider having dinner with me and the children, but not too much time as I will have to drop them off at their mother’s on Sunday. Please see this invitation for dinner as me extending an olive branch and not as a threat or a hallow apology. I promise Theo will have a good time, and perhaps you will too, but until then –_
> 
> _I have the honour to be your obedient servant,_
> 
> _A. Ham_

Aaron hated how he kept rereading the letter throughout the rest of the workday, searching for a hidden meaning yet he was left with a feeling of some sort of fondness every time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Most of the events concerning the Reynolds Pamphlet are indeed true (aside from the obvious technological differences)  
> \- For anyone who noticed the different descriptions of the Reynolds Tweets between this chapter and the last: That's the magic of switching POVs *does jazz hands*  
> \- Irl, Burr was Maria's divorce lawyer but most of you already know that. But timeline is slightly off as Maria's divorce occurred a few years before the pamphlet was published historically. 
> 
> Anyways, I'll see you all next time!
> 
> Someone (probably): Hold up, so how many lyrics references did you include in this chapter?  
> Me: Yes. Just yes.


	8. It's time to meet his daughter and sons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back with a new chapter? (Answer: C'est moi) 
> 
> CW: A short flashback depicting child grooming and sexual assault is once again implied.

Aaron couldn’t believe he agreed on being a glorified babysitter.

Apparently, Dayton’s brilliant idea was to have Aaron hang out with Hamilton’s progeny during Alexander’s interview. Aaron protested until Dayton presented an ultimatum – either be responsible for five children or join Alexander on national television. 60 long minutes of feigning to be in love wasn’t the difficult aspect. No, it was the concept of putting himself in the spotlight that was terrified him. He would have no control over how he got perceived, be pressured into stating extreme opinions, and not to mention the invasion of privacy he would be inviting in.

But most importantly, since when did Dayton become his PR manager? This couldn’t be in his job description.

Once he fetched Theo from the Van Nesses, they hopped in his black Honda Civic and drove off once Aaron punched the address into the GPS. They parked on the street in front of a grand building, which resembled the types of neighbourhoods his uncle’s friends lived in. When they got to the door of the penthouse suite, Aaron permitted Theo to ring the doorbell, only to hear a muffled shout, followed by a cacophony of more noises. The door opened, revealing a freckled boy around Theo’s age.

“Hello,” the boy greeted as he surveyed the pair curiously.

“Hello,” Aaron echoed. “Is this the Hamilton household?”

“Yup!” The kid’s eyes widen. “Are you the Burrs?” Both Aaron and Theo nodded.

“Dad!” the boy screamed, tilting back to glance over his shoulder, towards the hallway. “They’re here!”

“Give me a minute!” someone, most likely Hamilton called back. “Can you invite them in?”

“Do I have to, dad?”

“Yes, Phillip.”

“Fine,” the boy, Phillip, sighed exasperatedly. “Do you guys want to come in, or?” He fidgeted with his hands as he waited.

“Of course they do, you dummy!” a high-pitch voice replied.

“Shut up, Angie!”

“That would be lovely, thank you,” Aaron interjected, in the hope of preventing any further yelling. Theo nervously peered at her father and Aaron shrugged. He couldn’t exactly back out and take Theo to a museum.

Phillip steered the Burrs into the living room. A girl, a little younger than Phillip, most likely Angie, sat in front of a classic ebony polished piano, scrawling notes in a sheet music book with a pencil. Theo’s jaw dropped in awe as they wandered deeper into the suite.

“You guys have a grand piano?” Theo exclaimed, turning to Phillip who smirked.

“Our mother wanted us to practice piano,” Phillip casually replied, as if every household had a piano worth several grands lying around. “You play?”

“A little,” Theo disclosed, somewhat shy. That was a huge understatement. Aaron had been taking her to weekly piano lessons for the last five years.

“You want to play?” Angie offered, already scooting over.

“Can I, Dad?” Theo regarded him with pleaded eyes.

“I don’t see why not.”

Theo thanked him as she darted over to the piano. As Aaron observed the girls play, he didn’t notice Phillip skipping over until he impatiently tapped Aaron’s wrist.

“You want to hear a poem I wrote?” Phillip asked.

But before Aaron could respond, two boys sprinted into the room, the taller one chasing after the little one, who held a stuffed Pikachu in his arms.

“Give that back!”

“No!”

“But it’s mine!”

A dishevelled Hamilton emerged moments after, mumbling under his breath. Strands of hair escaped his messy ponytail, giving his face dimension. He wore a crisp white dress shirt, tucked into navy pinstriped pants, along with his pair of glasses. This was probably why Aaron slept with him – he could pull off a suit.

“Boys,” Alexander sighed, running his hand through his hair. “What did I say about sharing toys?”

“But he stole it from my room!”

“James, did you take it from your brother’s room without asking?”

“Maybe.”

“So what do we do if we want someone’s toy?”

“No!” James screamed, much to Alexander’s frustration.

“If you put the toy back where you found it, you can have a cookie, okay?”

“Two choco…late?”

“Yes, you can have the double chocolate one.”

The small child smiled as smugly as he could muster at his father and happily stomped out of the room. Alexander flopped against the wall before remembering he had company.

“You’re early,” Alexander commented, as he gave Aaron an insatiable once-over and kissed him on the cheek. Aaron wrestled his instinct to flinch. It wasn’t Alexander-specific but rather that Aaron wasn’t used to affection. The only time he felt okay with affectionate touching from those who weren’t close friends or family members he liked was whenever he was fooling around with someone. However, it wouldn’t be realistic to dismiss a partner’s physical affection.

Not that he would know. He only had one serious partner in his lifetime.

As Alexander pulled away and his fingers slipped off Aaron’s jaw, Aaron’s eyes faltered to Alexander’s collarbone. The top buttons were undone, revealing tawny beige skin. However, a faded purple bruise peeked out, catching Aaron’s attention. His fingers betrayed him as they slid underneath the man’s collared shirt, mapping out the blemish.

“Your hands are cold,” Alexander whispered, his gaze fixated on Aaron, searching for a long-lost and unspoken answer.

“You didn’t mind before,” Aaron replied in a hushed tone so the children couldn’t eavesdrop. Aaron should have ceased lingering before he sent Hamilton the wrong message again but his fingers possessed a mind of their own. “Did I… do this?”

Alexander gave a heady laugh. “I believe you know the answer to that. Has anyone told you you’re a biter?” 

“You seemed to enjoy that the other night,” Aaron responded emotionlessly. He was stating a fact, not acting coquettishly.

“Stop flirting with me or I might fall in love with you.” Hamilton joked. It was slightly less airy than his other responses, yet caused Aaron to halt. As his mind went into overdrive, Aaron remained unaware that his fingers pressed harder into the other man’s skin, jaggedly dancing in short movements repeatedly.

Love. People who love him unconditionally often ended up dying on him. His parents, his grandparents, his wife. He was already terrified enough he would lose someone else – in some ways, he already had.

Only a fool could fall in love with him now. He had too much baggage to ever be worth the investment. 

Hamilton whimpered as Aaron scratched the discoloured area, pulling Aaron back from the brink of dissociating. The sound wasn’t loud and boisterous as one would expect from Hamilton, but needy and sad, matching his expression. For a moment, Alexander wasn’t a larger than life mythical creature, incapable of feeling, but a lost, vulnerable, and broken human.

Maybe Alexander’s brokenness could complement his own, but the thought disappeared as quickly as it arrived.

Aaron swiftly settled on buttoning Alexander’s shirt, averting his eyes from the man’s face, entranced with the task. “You don’t have to do that,” Alexander quavered.

“I wasn’t sure you were capable of doing it right the first time, _Hamilton,_ ” Aaron rasped. He hoped he got Alexander riled up, deliberately to erase any sentimental moment between them. The idea of Alexander Hamilton being gentle with him, like a real boyfriend, was off-putting. Instead of a nasty retort, Alexander pushed Aaron’s hands away and stepped back. Alexander was about to respond when James galloped into the room and immediately hugged his father’s leg. Without hesitation, Alexander picked him up.

“What’s up kid?” Alexander nodded at his son, grinning sweetly. Aaron pretended he wasn’t endeared by the sight. The boy tugged at his father’s collar.

“I want my cookie, daddy.”

“Did you put the toy back?”

“Yes. Can I have my cookie now, plu-eave?”

“Please,” Alexander instructed. James attempted a few times, stuttering. After each attempt, Alexander patiently repeated the word. Eventually, James gave up and wailed.

“We can try again tomorrow,” Alexander mumbled as he carried James over to a cabinet. After rummaging, he found a container filled with cookies. Opening the Tupperware, Alexander handed the child a cookie before obtaining one for himself. Then, he outstretched the container to Aaron. “Cookie?”

“I’ll pass, but thank you. I must say, your son is quite adorable.”

Alexander smiled at the boy in his arms, “Can you introduce yourself to Mr. Burr?”

“I am James,” the boy announced. “I am four years old and I like cookies. Do you like cookies?”

“Yes, I do. I like peanut butter oatmeal cookies,” Aaron disclosed.

“Gross,” James replied. “Daddy, can you put me down? I want to read book.”

“Sure thing, kiddo.” Alexander complied with James’ request, letting the boy scamper towards a bookcase.

He turned to his other children. “Did any of you introduced yourself to Mr. Burr?”

“No,” the two older boys said in unison, who sat on the couch, watching a TV show. James plopped in front of them on the floor, proudly embracing his chosen picture book. The girls stopped playing, long enough for Angie to shake her head.

When did this apartment become so noisy?

While Aaron was lost in his own thoughts, Alexander managed to put his arm around him. Aaron’s initial reflex was to shove the man’s arm off his shoulder, but he gave in quickly, too busy deciphering Hamilton’s cologne scent – a tropical sea breeze.

Alexander’s introduction of the children was a blur. The only new information Aaron gathered was the name of the middle son, Alex Junior. “I wonder who he’s named after,” Aaron deadpanned.

“It’s an excellent name,” Alexander defended, gesturing Aaron to follow him down the hall.

“He’s a lot quieter and more peaceful than his namesake.”

“Hardy har har, you’re hilarious,” Alexander snarked as he entered a room, most likely his bedroom. Aaron awkwardly hovered by the threshold, listening to Alexander babble about each child’s routine, inclinations, and overall temperament as the man continued to get ready. Hamilton pimped and primed like he didn’t have an audience, switching his glasses for contact lenses, styling his hair, the like. Occasionally, Alexander would pause (always dramatically too) to check if Aaron was listening. Once Aaron acknowledged the last item he said, he would commence yapping up a storm again.

Was he talking for the sake of talking or was he so egoistical that he just wanted to hear himself talk? The words he said didn’t hold any substance to Aaron as Hamilton moved on to rambling about economics – a topic Aaron didn’t care for.

However, it was when Alexander eyed him, frowning, and trailed off that caught Aaron off guard.

“What?” Aaron asked, glaring at him.

“You have an aversion to being in other people’s bedrooms or something?”

“Of course not. It’s not exactly polite to enter someone’s bedroom without explicit permission, you know.”

“That didn’t seem to be a problem before,” Hamilton had the freaking audacity to tack on a wink.

“That’s different.”

“Oh really? You care to elaborate on that?”

“Where else would we have done it?”

“There were plenty of options – couch, kitchen table, the floor. And that’s just inside the house. Although, I don’t think you would want to do it in an alleyway.”

“Classy.”

“What can I say? I’m a very considerate lover.”

“Why does everything come back to intercourse with you? We shouldn’t be having this conversation when the kids are within earshot.”

“Trust me, over the TV and piano, they can’t hear a word we’re saying. I’m confident we’re in the clear. And frankly, you should have known that I would call out on your bogus reason on why you can’t enter a bedroom. You’re acting like the door has movement-detecting lasers.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Is this a rich kid thing?”

“Have you ever heard of common courtesy?”

“Yes actually, I hope you know common courtesy isn’t exclusive for the rich.”

“I never said it was. You should stop putting words in my mouth and assuming I’m rich.”

“You grew up quite wealthy – no? Wasn’t your father _and_ your maternal grandfather both presidents of Princeton at some point in time? You’re the textbook definition of a trust fund baby.”

“That has nothing to do with anything.”

“On the contrary, that has everything to do with the fact you were raised with endless amounts of money at your disposable.”

“My childhood is irrelevant as to why I feel more comfortable not being in your room.” Aaron snapped back. He was technically lying but not in the way Hamilton imagined. “Don’t project your insecurities onto me.”

“Insecurities? You must be out of your godda - _freaking_ mind if you actually believe I feel insecure because of _you._ ”

Aaron laughed bitterly. “That would definitely explain your ‘Eat the rich’ mentality despite you being one of the most powerful men in the country and how you dress.”

“What’s wrong with the way I dress?”

“Forget that I said that,” Aaron shook his head. He was already straying away from the comfort of neutrality. If he didn’t stop this line of questioning, he would reveal his cards to Hamilton. Aaron couldn’t afford to give Hamilton any more power over him.

“No, tell me what’s wrong with the way I dress.” Hamilton fumed as he approached Aaron. Aaron couldn’t let the man walk all over him like a doormat. Let Hamilton pout all he wants if things don’t go his way but Aaron refused to give in. At least Hamilton wasn’t smiling – it was unfair how attractive he looked when he smiled. And arguing with hot people was the worst.

“You can’t force me to answer a question I refuse to answer.” Aaron asserted.

A sinister half-smile formed on Hamilton’s face, which caused Aaron’s heartbeat to speed up, pounding so hard it threatened to burst out of his chest. Aaron felt a hand wrap around his wrist tightly and then he was harshly yanked into the room. Seconds later, he could hear a thump before registering that his back hit the wall.

Aaron felt like he was being suffocated, despite Hamilton’s hands being planted flat on the wall, one just above his shoulder and the other close to his waist. Hamilton boxed him in, not choking him.

“I’m going to ask this again,” Hamilton repeated, those fires in his eyes dancing. “What’s wrong with the way I dress?”

“Why do you care so much about my opinion?” Aaron replied, his voice shaky.

“You’re been judging me the entire time.”

“Preposterous.”

“Maybe they were right,” Hamilton taunted.

“About what?”

“You’re amoral, a dangerous disgrace, and a spineless coward with no beliefs.”

“Those are fighting words, _Hamilton._ ” Aaron spat.

“What are you going to do? Sue me?” Hamilton sneered, shifting closer.

“I know you’re trying to get a rise out of me.”

“So why don’t you give me what I want then? All I want for you to state your opinion,” Hamilton coaxed. His words rang in Aaron’s mind, slowly morphing into something else, into someone’s else voice.

_So why don’t you give me what I want then?_

Don’t focus on the first sentence, Aaron told himself. All he wants is an opinion. He won’t hurt you. He won’t force himself on you. Stay present. 

_Click boom._

He’s not Will. He’s not Will. Stay present.

_Someone locked the door._

_Aaron stood in an unknown but empty professor’s office, clutching a textbook to his chest – someone chuckled as a hand caressed his cheek and lifted his chin._

_“How is my favourite brilliant and handsome boy doing?” a male voice asked, hushed and low. “You look awfully pretty, little Burr.”_

_“Thank you.” Fingers accidentally brushed against his lips. “A bit stressed. I have been studying for my law class, we have an upcoming test.”_

_“Maybe you should stop by then, hmm? I can help you study.” What wasn’t said was how he wanted to help Aaron de-stress and take his mind off things – in a particular manner._

_“What’s the catch? You’ve been doing several favours for me lately.”_

_“No catch. I just want you to do well.” Only later, Aaron knew that was a lie. In reality, it was an exchange of services, or rather an exchange of different desires._

No, Hamilton wasn’t Will. But Hamilton hasn’t been exactly nice to him. Aaron could have written 30 pages listing every single negative quality Hamilton possessed in alphabetized order. And as for the positive traits outside of the bedroom – the man was capable of feeling guilt and that was about it.

Aaron willed himself to maintain his posture. He wasn’t going to cower to Hamilton, nor would he give Hamilton the satisfaction that his words provoked Aaron into doing whatever Hamilton wanted. 

“You want an opinion, Alexander? What about this – all you’ll ever be an unwanted bastard child, desperate for attention.” Aaron snarled. Was he acting unnecessarily cruel? Definitely. Did he truly believe what he claimed? No but he didn’t care. If Hamilton wanted him to play the role of the entitled rich kid, Aaron could deliver. “You can rise above your station, but deep down, you’re nothing more than a hypocrite – you despised the rich yet you successfully implanted yourself into high society. You don’t do anything when the government dominated by men goes around policing women’s bodies despite being a whore’s son –“

“That’s not even right! If you’re going to insult me, at least get your facts right. My mother was never a whore. She was in an abhorrent marriage with a gold-digger and had limited options. All she did is have a relationship with someone else while being legally married.”

“So you suppose the apple doesn’t fall that far from the tree, doesn’t it?”

Hamilton growled. “You’re so lucky I don’t have time for this. I still need to get ready for the interview.”

“Are you going to let me leave to check on the children then?”

Hamilton relented and leaned away from him. “This isn’t over.” Like he could abandon this sinking ship of a contractual relationship now. No, they were stuck with each other.

Oh joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick Historical notes:  
> \- Irl, Angie was a talented piano player  
> \- Both Burr's father and grandfather were the president of Princeton (at separate times, of course)  
> \- Hamilton's mother was married to Johann Lavien but left him (and their son) in 1750. She was actually imprisoned for refusing to live with her husband. Lavien divorced her in 1959. So yup, Hamilton's mother was legally married to someone else (who wasn't Hamilton's father) when Hamilton was born (hence why the man is a bastard).  
> \- I was able to fit only 4/8 of the Hamilton kids in here, mainly because timeline issues prevented the other children from being born. Also because, most ppl don't have 8 children in modern day
> 
> Hope you guys are pumped to see Peggy in the next chapter!


End file.
